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High expression of Ran GTPase is associated with local invasion and metastasis of human clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Abe Hideyuki,
Kamai Takao,
Shirataki Hiromichi,
Oyama Tetsunari,
Arai Kyoko,
Yoshida Kenichiro
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.23400
Subject(s) - ran , metastasis , renal cell carcinoma , clear cell renal cell carcinoma , nephrectomy , small gtpase , cancer research , biology , univariate analysis , cancer , cell , pathology , medicine , carcinoma , oncology , kidney , multivariate analysis , signal transduction , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
The Ran small GTPase (Ran) is involved in the regulation of nuclear transport, microtubule nucleation and dynamics, and spindle assembly. To address the question of whether Ran protein is associated with the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we compared by Western blotting the Ran protein levels in surgical RCC specimens from 180 consecutive Japanese patients with those in the corresponding nontumor tissue from the same patient. We also examined the Ran protein levels in tumors of different grades and stages. Ran proteins were more abundant in RCC tumor tissues than in nontumor tissues ( p < 0.0001). High Ran expression was associated with higher grade, local invasion, and metastasis ( p < 0.0001). Kaplan‐Meier plots linked high Ran protein expression to a shorter overall survival in all cases ( p < 0.0001) and a shorter disease‐free survival in those without metastasis at radical or partial nephrectomy (M0; 131 cases, p < 0.0001). Ran protein expression was an independent factor influencing overall survival univariate analysis ( p < 0.0001) and disease‐free survival by multivariate analysis ( p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that Ran is associated with the progression of RCC. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.