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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
06:38

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies

Published on: April 12, 2017

Prognostic relevance of the mTOR pathway in renal cell carcinoma: implications for molecular patient selection for

Allan J Pantuck1, David B Seligson, Tobias Klatte

  • 1Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Cancer
|April 19, 2007
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Targeting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) shows promise. Biomarkers like PTEN and pAkt can predict prognosis and patient selection for mTOR-targeted therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is frequently dysregulated in human cancers.
  • Targeting the mTOR pathway is a promising therapeutic strategy currently under clinical investigation.
  • Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents a significant area for evaluating mTOR pathway inhibitors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role and potential of targeting the mTOR pathway in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  • To identify biomarkers within the mTOR pathway associated with RCC pathology and patient survival.
  • To assess the limitations and potential of mTOR-targeted therapies in RCC.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemical analysis of pAkt, PTEN, p27, and pS6 expression in 375 RCC patient specimens.
  • Tissue microarray construction from paraffin-embedded tumor samples.
  • Correlation of protein expression with pathological parameters and patient survival data.

Main Results:

  • mTOR pathway alterations were more pronounced in clear-cell RCC, high-grade tumors, and those with poor prognostic features.
  • PTEN and pS6 expression strongly correlated with pathological parameters.
  • Specific expression levels of cytoplasmic pAkt, nuclear pAkt, PTEN, p27, and pS6 served as significant prognostic indicators for patient survival.
  • High nuclear pAkt expression indicated a favorable prognosis, while high cytoplasmic pAkt indicated a poor prognosis.

Conclusions:

  • mTOR pathway components are significantly linked to RCC pathological characteristics and survival outcomes.
  • The efficacy of mTOR-targeted therapy may vary across different RCC subtypes.
  • PTEN, pAkt, p27, and pS6 can function as biomarkers for patient selection and prognosis prediction in RCC.
  • Patients with highly activated mTOR pathways are likely to benefit most from targeted interventions.

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