Displaying all 10 publications

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  1. Mohtarrudin N, Ghazali R, Md Roduan MR
    Malays J Pathol, 2018 Dec;40(3):313-318.
    PMID: 30580362
    INTRODUCTION: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) promotes carcinogenesis by inducing proliferation and angiogenesis while decreasing apoptosis and immunosuppressive activity. It is overexpressed in many malignancies including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of this study was to investigate COX-2 expression in clear cell RCC and its association with tumour grades and demographic parameters.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six clear cell RCC cases were selected. There were 21 (58.3%) men and 15 (41.7%) women with median age of 56.6 years (range: 16-74 years). Chinese constituted 16 (44.4%) of the cases; Malays 14 (38.9%) cases and Indian 6 (16.7%) cases. There were 6 (16.7%) grade 1, 20 (55.6%) grade 2, 10 (27.8%) grade 3 and none was grade 4. The paraffin embedded tissues were cut at 4 μm thick and stained with COX-2 monoclonal antibody.

    RESULTS: Eighteen (50%) of the RCC cases were immunopositive, of which all showed strong positivity. The immunopositive cases showed cytoplasmic membrane positivity.

    CONCLUSION: There was no significant association between COX-2 expression with grade, age, sex and ethnicity (p=0.457, p=0.054, p=0.389 and p=0.568 respectively). Strong positivity of COX-2 suggest that COX-2 may play a role in cell proliferation and in carcinogenesis.

    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  2. Yap NY, Ong TA, Morais C, Pailoor J, Gobe GC, Rajandram R
    Cell Biol Int, 2019 Jun;43(6):715-725.
    PMID: 31062478 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11150
    Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most lethal urogenital cancers and effective treatment of metastatic RCC remains an elusive target. Cell lines enable the in vitro investigation of molecular and genetic changes leading to renal carcinogenesis and are important for evaluating cellular drug response or toxicity. This study details a fast and easy protocol of establishing epithelial and fibroblast cell cultures or cell lines concurrently from renal cancer nephrectomy tissue. The protocol involves mechanical disaggregation, collagenase digestion and cell sieving for establishing epithelial cells while fibroblast cells were grown from explants. This protocol has been modified from previous published reports with additional antibiotics and washing steps added to eliminate microbial contamination from the surgical source. Cell characterisation was carried out using immunofluorescence and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Eleven stable epithelial renal tumour cell lines of various subtypes, including rare subtypes, were established with a spontaneous immortalisation rate of 21.6% using this protocol. Eight fibroblast cell cultures grew successfully but did not achieve spontaneous immortalisation. Cells of epithelial origin expressed higher expressions of epithelial markers such as pan-cytokeratin, cytokeratin 8 and E-cadherin whereas fibroblast cells expressed high α-smooth muscle actin. Further mutational analysis is needed to evaluate the genetic or molecular characteristics of the cell lines.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism
  3. Ng KL, Morais C, Bernard A, Saunders N, Samaratunga H, Gobe G, et al.
    J Clin Pathol, 2016 Aug;69(8):661-71.
    PMID: 26951082 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2015-203585
    Numerous immunohistochemical (IHC) biomarkers have been employed to aid in the difficult differentiation between chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) and renal oncocytoma (RO). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature was carried out to summarise and analyse the evidence for discriminatory IHC biomarkers to differentiate the two entities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism
  4. Yap YH, Say YH
    Cell Biol Int, 2012 Mar 1;36(3):273-7.
    PMID: 21980981 DOI: 10.1042/CBI20110088
    Since the discovery of PrPC (cellular prion protein), most studies have focused on its role in neurodegenerative diseases, whereas its function outside the nervous system remains obscure. We investigated the ability of PrPC in resisting TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) apoptosis in three PrPC-transiently transfected cancer cell lines, renal adenocarcinoma ACHN, oral squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2 and colon adenocarcinoma LS174T. PrPC-expressing ACHN and LS174T cells had higher viabilities compared with the mock-transfected cells, while the transient overexpression of PrPC had minimal overall effect on HSC-2 cells due to its high endogenous PrPC expression. Cell cycles were also analysed, with both PrPC expressing ACHN and LS174T cells having a significantly higher proliferative index than mock-transfected cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated a G1/S-phase cell cycle transition in both PrPC-expressing ACHN and LS174T cells. PrPC resists TNFα apoptosis due to a modest, but statistically significant, cell-specific cytoprotection compared with mock-transfected cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  5. Perumal K, Mun KS, Yap NY, Razack AHA, Gobe GC, Ong TA, et al.
    Biomed Res Int, 2020;2020:3682086.
    PMID: 32802842 DOI: 10.1155/2020/3682086
    Background: The mechanisms that link obesity and cancer development are not well-defined. Investigation of leptin and leptin receptor expressions may help define some of the mechanisms. These proteins are known for associating with the immune response, angiogenesis and, signalling pathways such as JAK2/STAT3, PI3K, and AKT pathways. Tissue proteins can be easily detected with immunohistochemistry (IHC), a technique widely used both in diagnostic and research laboratories. The identification of altered levels of leptin and leptin receptor proteins in tumour tissues may lead to targeted treatment for cancer.

    Objective: The objective of this study was to use IHC to compare leptin and leptin receptor expressions in clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) in non-obese and obese patients to determine the association between these proteins with the clinicopathological features and prognosis of ccRCC. Patients and Methods. The study involved 60 patients who underwent nephrectomy of which 34 were obese, as assessed using body mass index (BMI). Nephrectomy samples provided tissues of ccRCC and adjacent non-cancerous kidney. The intensity and localization of leptin and leptin receptor protein expressions were evaluated using IHC and correlated with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes. Aperio ImageScope morphometry and digital pathology were applied to assess the IHC results. The chi-square test was used to determine if there was any significant association between the proteins and the clinicopathological features. The Kaplan-Meier test was used to determine the overall survival, disease-free survival, and recurrence-free survival. A value of p < 0.05 was considered significant.

    Results: There was neither significant difference in the overall cellular and nuclear expressions of leptin and leptin receptor between non-cancerous kidney and ccRCC tissues nor in non-obese and obese individuals with ccRCC.

    Conclusion: In this present study, it was revealed that leptin and leptin receptor were not associated with tumour characteristics and progression of ccRCC patients. Interestingly, nuclear expression of leptin was significantly associated with overall survival. However, the significance of these proteins as biomarkers in other RCC histotypes is still unclear.

    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  6. Morais C, Rajandram R, Blakeney JS, Iyer A, Suen JY, Johnson DW, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0248983.
    PMID: 33765016 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248983
    Expression of the protease sensing receptor, protease activated receptor-2 (PAR2), is elevated in a variety of cancers and has been promoted as a potential therapeutic target. With the development of potent antagonists for this receptor, we hypothesised that they could be used to treat renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The expression of PAR2 was, therefore, examined in human RCC tissues and selected RCC cell lines. Histologically confirmed cases of RCC, together with paired non-involved kidney tissue, were used to produce a tissue microarray (TMA) and to extract total tissue RNA. Immunohistochemistry and qPCR were then used to assess PAR2 expression. In culture, RCC cell lines versus primary human kidney tubular epithelial cells (HTEC) were used to assess PAR2 expression by qPCR, immunocytochemistry and an intracellular calcium mobilization assay. The TMA revealed an 85% decrease in PAR2 expression in tumour tissue compared with normal kidney tissue. Likewise, qPCR showed a striking reduction in PAR2 mRNA in RCC compared with normal kidney. All RCC cell lines showed lower levels of PAR2 expression than HTEC. In conclusion, we found that PAR2 was reduced in RCC compared with normal kidney and is unlikely to be a target of interest in the treatment of this type of cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  7. Ng KL, Yap NY, Rajandram R, Small D, Pailoor J, Ong TA, et al.
    Pathology, 2018 Aug;50(5):511-518.
    PMID: 29935727 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2018.03.003
    Better characterisation and understanding of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development and progression lead to better diagnosis and clinical outcomes. In this study, expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) subunits: p65 (RelA), p105/p50, p100/p52, and cRel in RCC tissue were compared with corresponding normal kidney, along with tumour characteristics and survival outcome. Ninety-six cases of RCC with paired normal kidney were analysed. Clinicopathological data, demographics and survival data were available. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for NF-κB subtypes was analysed using the Aperio digital pathology system for overall cellular expression and localisation. The prognostic cancer-specific survival value of the subunits in RCC patients was analysed. Approximately 50% of patients had clinical stage T1, with 22 patients having metastases at presentation. RCC subtypes were: clear cell (n = 76); papillary (n = 11); chromophobe (n = 5); clear cell tubulopapillary (n = 3); and one multilocular cystic RCC. Median follow up was 54.5 months (0.2-135), with 28 deaths at time of analysis. NF-κB p65 had higher overall and nuclear expressions, with lower overall and nuclear expressions of p50, p52 and cRel in RCC compared with normal kidney. Higher expressions of p65 (nuclear), p52 (overall and nuclear) and p50 (overall) correlated significantly with worse cancer-specific survival. This is the first large series of analysis of expression of NF-κB subunits in RCC. Especially with regards to the less studied subunits (p52, p50, cRel), our results allow a better understanding the role of NF-κB in RCC development and progression, and may pave the way for future targeted NF-κB subunit specific therapies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  8. Ng KL, Del Vecchio SJ, Samaratunga H, Morais C, Rajandram R, Vesey DA, et al.
    Pathology, 2018 Aug;50(5):504-510.
    PMID: 29970253 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2018.01.007
    One of the challenges in differentiating chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) from benign renal oncocytoma (RO) is overlapping morphology between the two subtypes. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of expression of leptin (Ob) and its receptor (ObR) in discriminating chRCC from RO. Sections from paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tumour nephrectomy specimens of 45 patients, made up of 30 chRCC (15 eosinophilic variant and 15 non-eosinophilic variant) and 15 RO, were used in this study. Samples (30) of clear cell RCC (ccRCC), the most common histological subtype, were used to verify staining patterns found by others in our cohort of Australasian patients. Matched morphologically normal non-cancer kidney tissues were included for each specimen. Sections were batch-immunostained using antibodies against Ob and ObR. Stained sections were digitally scanned using Aperio ImageScope, and the expression pattern of Ob and ObR was studied. In this cohort, male to female ratio was 2:1; median age was 64 (45-88 years); and median tumour size was 3.8 cm (range 1.2-18 cm). There were 47 (62.7%) T1, seven T2, 20 T3 and one T4 stage RCC. Two patients with ccRCC presented with metastases. Nuclear expression of Ob was significantly higher in RO compared with chRCC. The increased nuclear expression of Ob in RO compared with chRCC may be a useful aid in the difficult histological differentiation of RO from chRCC, especially eosinophilic variants of chRCC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism
  9. Gobe GC, Ng KL, Small DM, Vesey DA, Johnson DW, Samaratunga H, et al.
    Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2016 Apr 22;473(1):47-53.
    PMID: 26995091 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.03.048
    Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC), an endogenous inhibitor of apoptosis, is upregulated in a number of human cancers, thereby conferring drug resistance and giving a rationale for the inhibition of ARC to overcome drug resistance. Our hypothesis was that ARC would be similarly upregulated and targetable for therapy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Expression of ARC was assessed in 85 human RCC samples and paired non-neoplastic kidney by qPCR and immunohistochemistry, as well as in four RCC cell lines by qPCR, Western immunoblot and confocal microscopy. Contrary to expectations, ARC was significantly decreased in the majority of clear cell RCC and in three (ACHN, Caki-1 and 786-0) of the four RCC cell lines compared with the HK-2 non-cancerous human proximal tubular epithelial cell line. Inhibition of ARC with shRNA in the RCC cell line (SN12K1) that had shown increased ARC expression conferred resistance to Sunitinib, and upregulated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We therefore propose that decreased ARC, particularly in clear cell RCC, confers resistance to targeted therapy through restoration of tyrosine kinase-independent alternate angiogenesis pathways. Although the results are contrary to expectations from other cancer studies, they were confirmed here with multiple analytical methods. We believe the highly heterogeneous nature of cancers like RCC predicate that expression patterns of molecules must be interpreted in relation to respective matched non-neoplastic regions. In the current study, this procedure indicated that ARC is decreased in RCC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
  10. Ch'ng WC, Abd-Aziz N, Ong MH, Stanbridge EJ, Shafee N
    Cell Oncol (Dordr), 2015 Aug;38(4):279-88.
    PMID: 25930675 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-015-0229-5
    Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is an oncolytic virus that is known to have a higher preference to cancer cells than to normal cells. It has been proposed that this higher preference may be due to defects in the interferon (IFN) responses of cancer cells. The exact mechanism underlying this process, however, remains to be resolved. In the present study, we examined the antiviral response towards NDV infection of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells. ccRCC is associated with mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor gene VHL, whose protein product is important for eliciting cellular responses to changes in oxygen levels. The most common first line treatment strategy of ccRCC includes IFN. Unfortunately, most ccRCC cases are diagnosed at a late stage and often are resistant to IFN-based therapies. Alternative treatment approaches, including virotherapy using oncolytic viruses, are currently being investigated. The present study was designed to investigate the mechanistic pathways underlying the response of ccRCC cells to oncolytic NDV infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism
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