High NUCB2 expression level represents an independent negative prognostic factor in Chinese cohorts of non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of NUCB2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.


METHODS
The study retrospectively enrolled a training set (182 patients) and a validation set (434 patients) with non-metastasis (pT1-3N0M0) ccRCC from two institutional medical centers of China. NUCB2 protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of NUCB2 antibody, and its association with clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes were evaluated. The NUCB2 mRNA transcription level was evaluated through TCGA KIRC cohort (190 patients). Prognostic accuracies were evaluated by C index and Akaike information criterion.


RESULTS
In ccRCC tissues, NUCB2 protein expression level was positively correlated with Fuhrman grade (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). Patients with high NUCB2 mRNA transcription level (P = 0.005) and protein expression level (P = 0.024 and P < 0.001, respectively) had shorter cancer-specific survival in Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Moreover, multivariate analysis identified NUCB2 expression level as an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival. Subgroup analysis suggested that NUCB2 expression significantly stratified pT1 stage patients (P < 0.001) rather than higher pT stage patients. Therefore, a new NNF prognosis model was developed to predict the cancer-specific survival in patients with pT1N0M0 stage (C-index = 0.743).


CONCLUSIONS
NUCB2 expression level is a powerful independent prognostic factor for CSS in patients with non-metastasis (pT1-3N0M0) ccRCC.
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Hangcheng
H
Fu
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Yu
Y
Zhu
Department of Urology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Yiwei
Y
Wang
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Zheng
Z
Liu
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Junyu
J
Zhang
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Zewei
Z
Wang
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Huyang
H
Xie
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Bo
B
Dai
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Jiejie
J
Xu
Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.|Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Dingwei
D
Ye
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000080866:Nucleobindins; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C000630650:NUCB2 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000080866:Nucleobindins
NUCB2; cancer-specific survival; prognostic factor; renal cell carcinoma