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Cyclooxygenase‐2 expression and relationship to tumour progression in human renal cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Hashimoto Y,
Kondo Y,
Kimura G,
Matsuzawa I,
Sato S,
Ishizaki M,
Imura N,
Akimoto M,
Hara S
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2004.01853.x
Subject(s) - renal cell carcinoma , clear cell , immunohistochemistry , pathology , carcinogenesis , endoplasmic reticulum , cancer research , cancer , cell , biology , cyclooxygenase , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , enzyme , biochemistry
Aims: Cyclooxygenase (COX), which catalyses the synthesis of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid, has two isoforms; COX‐1 and COX‐2. There is ample evidence to suggest an important role for COX‐2 in cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of COX‐2 expression and its localization in the development and progression of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods and results: The expression and localization of COX‐2 were evaluated in human RCC tissues from 75 patients by immunohistochemistry. Immunoreactive COX‐2 protein was observed in all cases of RCC, and the levels of COX‐2 expression were correlated with tumour grade and pathological stage. Expression of COX‐2 was higher in the granular cell subtype than in the clear cell subtype of RCC. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that COX‐2 was expressed in the nuclear membrane, rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex and mitochondrial membrane of RCC cells. Conclusion: COX‐2 overexpression within these intracellular organelles in RCC may be associated with renal cell carcinogenesis and COX‐2 may be a useful biomarker in RCC.