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RhoC GTPase Activation Assay
09:58

RhoC GTPase Activation Assay

Published on: August 22, 2010

Down-regulated expression of RhoA in human conventional renal cell carcinoma

Yeong-Shiau Pu1, Chuang-Wei Wang, Guang-Yaw Liu

  • 1Department of Urology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

Anticancer Research
|August 30, 2008
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

RhoA expression is reduced in kidney cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. This down-regulation of RhoA may play a role in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common kidney cancer in adults.
  • Early detection markers for RCC are currently lacking.
  • The role of the small GTPase RhoA in RCC tumorigenesis is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the significance of RhoA expression in human RCC.
  • To characterize the role of RhoA in the development of kidney cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Examined RhoA messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression.
  • Utilized real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry.
  • Analyzed 46 pairs of cancerous and adjacent normal kidney tissues.

Main Results:

  • RhoA mRNA levels were significantly lower in RCC tissues compared to normal tissues (p = 0.036).
  • RhoA protein levels were significantly higher in normal kidney tissues than in cancerous tissues (p = 0.032).
  • RhoA expression did not correlate with patient age, tumor differentiation grade, or TNM stage (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • RhoA down-regulation is potentially involved in the tumorigenesis of human RCC.
  • Altered RhoA expression may serve as a potential biomarker for kidney cancer.

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