Related Experiment Videos
[Histopathological study of metallothionein in bladder cancer and renal cell carcinoma]
1Department of Urology, Okayama University Medical School.
Abstract:
Metallothionein (MT) is a low molecular-metal binding protein with multiple biological functions. Recently, MT has been implicated as a factor involved in resistance to anticancer drugs, which presumably inactivates anticancer drugs, including cisplatin, and doxorubicin. In this report, we investigated the relationship of MT expression with the clinical features in bladder cancer and renal cell carcinoma. In 35 cases of bladder cancer, 10 cases of renal cell carcinoma and 3 cases of normal mucosa of bladder, the expression of MT was immunohistologically examined by avidinebiotin-peroxidase (ABC) staining of paraffin-embedded tissue specimens with anti-MT antibody. Intense MT expression was noted in all cases of normal mucosa of bladder. MT was detected in 10 of 35 cases of bladder cancer, with the incidence of MT expression being significantly higher increases with lower pathological tumor grade. MT was detected in 8 of 10 cases of renal cell carcinoma, and all of the their normal renal tubules showed more intense staining. A number of hypotheses can be proposed from these observations. First, our observation of decreased MT expression in poorly differentiated carcinomas, which are the more proliferating tumors, this suggests correlation of MT expression with proliferative status of cancer. Second, the higher incidence of MT expression in renal cell carcinoma than in bladder cancer may suggest that it is a factor responsible for the lower efficacy of chemo-therapy in renal cell carcinoma than in bladder cancer.
Insights
Metallothionein (MT) protein expression correlates with tumor grade in bladder and kidney cancers. Lower MT levels in higher-grade tumors suggest a link to cancer proliferation and chemoresistance.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Context:
- Metallothionein (MT) is a metal-binding protein with known biological functions.
- MT is increasingly recognized for its role in anticancer drug resistance, potentially by inactivating drugs like cisplatin and doxorubicin.
Purpose:
- To investigate the relationship between MT expression and clinical features in bladder cancer and renal cell carcinoma.
- To determine if MT expression levels correlate with tumor grade and cancer type.
Summary:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of MT expression was performed on 35 bladder cancers, 10 renal cell carcinomas, and normal bladder mucosa.
- Intense MT expression was observed in normal bladder mucosa.
- MT was detected in 10/35 bladder cancers, with higher expression in lower-grade tumors. MT was found in 8/10 renal cell carcinomas, with normal tubules showing more intense staining.
Impact:
- Decreased MT expression in poorly differentiated, more proliferative tumors suggests a correlation with proliferative status.
- Higher MT incidence in renal cell carcinoma compared to bladder cancer may explain the generally lower efficacy of chemotherapy in renal cell carcinoma.