肾细胞癌组织中DLK1蛋白表达及与临床病理学特征的相关性研究

目的 探讨不同组织类型的肾细胞癌组织中DLK1蛋白表达与肾癌临床病理特征及转移的关系.方法 采用免疫组织化学方法,检测94例肾原发透明细胞癌、76例乳头状肾细胞癌、45例嫌色细胞癌、71例透明细胞癌远处转移灶、24例透明细胞癌淋巴结转移灶及18例正常肾组织标本中DLK1蛋白表达情况,分析其与临床病理特征及转移的相关性.结果 正常肾组织近端及远端肾小管中DLK1蛋白表达均为阳性,透明细胞癌、乳头状肾细胞癌及嫌色细胞癌组织低表达率分别为33.0%(31/94)、27.6%(21/76)及33.3%(15/45),与正常肾组织相比,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05),3种类型肾癌组织之间DLK1蛋白表达差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).DLK1蛋白表达水平与透明细胞癌患者性别(男60例,女34例)、年龄(≥55岁50例,＜55岁44例)、病理分期(Ⅰ期41例,Ⅱ期9例,Ⅲ期21例,Ⅳ期23例)及淋巴结转移状态(无转移76例,有转移18例)等无明显相关性(P＞0.05).透明细胞癌原发灶、淋巴结转移灶、远处转移灶肿瘤组织中DLK1蛋白表达差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 不同类型的肾细胞癌组织中DLK1蛋白表达降低.DLK1蛋白低表达与透明细胞癌的临床病理特征及肿瘤转移无关.

Abstract：

Objective To identify the expression of DLK1 protein in different types of renal cell carcinomas and its correlations with pathological characteristics and metastasis. Methods Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of DLK1 protein in 94 cases of primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma, 76 cases of papillary renal cell carcinoma, 45 cases of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, 71 cases of distal metastatic and 24 cases of lymph node metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, as well as 18 cases of normal renal tissue. The correlations of DLK1 protein expression with pathological characteristics were analyzed. Results DLK1 protein was expressed in proximal and distal renal tubular epithelial cells in all the normal renal cases. In contrast, DLK1 protein expression was lower in different types of renal cell carcinoma. The low or negative expression of DLK1 protein in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, papillary renal cell carcinoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma was 33.0% (31/94), 27.6% (21/76) and 33.3% (15/45), respectively. Compared to normal renal tissue, DLK1 protein expression was significantly down-regulated in renal cell carcinomas (P＞0.05), whereas there was no significant difference on DLK1 protein expressions among the different types (P＞0.05) of renal cell carcinomas. DLK1 protein expression was not correlated with sex (60 male and 34 female cases), age (≥55, 50 cases and 55, 44 cases), grade (41 cases in grade I, 9 cases in grade II, 21 cases in grade III and 23 cases in grade Ⅳ respectively) and lymph node metastasis (76 cases with and 18 cases without lymph node metastasis) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (P＞0.05). There was also no significant difference among primary, lymph node and distal metastatic lesions of clear cell carcinoma (P＞0.05). Conclusions DLK1 protein expression is commonly down-regulated in different types of renal cell carcinomas. Down-regulation of DLK1 protein expression is not associated with pathological characteristics and metastasis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Expression of DLK1 protein and its correlation with renal cell carcinoma pathological characteristics

Objective To identify the expression of DLK1 protein in different types of renal cell carcinomas and its correlations with pathological characteristics and metastasis. Methods Immunohistochemistry analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of DLK1 protein in 94 cases of primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma, 76 cases of papillary renal cell carcinoma, 45 cases of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, 71 cases of distal metastatic and 24 cases of lymph node metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, as well as 18 cases of normal renal tissue. The correlations of DLK1 protein expression with pathological characteristics were analyzed. Results DLK1 protein was expressed in proximal and distal renal tubular epithelial cells in all the normal renal cases. In contrast, DLK1 protein expression was lower in different types of renal cell carcinoma. The low or negative expression of DLK1 protein in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, papillary renal cell carcinoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma was 33.0% (31/94), 27.6% (21/76) and 33.3% (15/45), respectively. Compared to normal renal tissue, DLK1 protein expression was significantly down-regulated in renal cell carcinomas (P＞0.05), whereas there was no significant difference on DLK1 protein expressions among the different types (P＞0.05) of renal cell carcinomas. DLK1 protein expression was not correlated with sex (60 male and 34 female cases), age (≥55, 50 cases and 55, 44 cases), grade (41 cases in grade I, 9 cases in grade II, 21 cases in grade III and 23 cases in grade Ⅳ respectively) and lymph node metastasis (76 cases with and 18 cases without lymph node metastasis) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (P＞0.05). There was also no significant difference among primary, lymph node and distal metastatic lesions of clear cell carcinoma (P＞0.05). Conclusions DLK1 protein expression is commonly down-regulated in different types of renal cell carcinomas. Down-regulation of DLK1 protein expression is not associated with pathological characteristics and metastasis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.