Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

Comparing Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Model Established in Mouse Kidney and on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane
05:36

Comparing Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Model Established in Mouse Kidney and on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane

Published on: February 8, 2020

8.5K

Loss of BRM expression is a frequently observed event in poorly differentiated clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Qiu-Yuan Xia1, Qiu Rao, Liang Cheng

  • 1Department of Pathology, Nanjing Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China.

Histopathology
|January 30, 2014
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Loss of Brahma (BRM) expression is common in poorly differentiated clear cell renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). This finding suggests BRM loss may drive tumor de-differentiation and progression in clear cell RCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex plays a crucial role in gene regulation.
  • Brahma (BRM) is a key catalytic subunit of the SWI/SNF complex.
  • Alterations in SWI/SNF subunits are implicated in various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression status of Brahma (BRM) in clear cell renal cell carcinomas (RCCs).
  • To analyze the histopathology, immunophenotype, molecular characteristics, and prognosis of BRM-negative clear cell RCC cases.
  • To understand the potential role of BRM loss in tumor de-differentiation and progression.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 625 clear cell RCC cases.
  • Identification of tumors lacking BRM expression.
  • Histopathological and immunophenotypic assessment.
  • Analysis of VHL gene mutations and chromosome 3p deletions.
  • Detection of chromosome polysomy.

Main Results:

  • 19 cases (3%) of grade 4 clear cell RCCs lacked BRM expression.
  • These BRM-negative tumors exhibited poor differentiation, with 13 showing pure poorly differentiated morphology and six being composite tumors.
  • VHL mutations (47%) and chromosome 3p deletions (in 11/13 poorly differentiated and all composite tumors) were observed.
  • Poorly differentiated areas showed chromosome 3 polysomy, while low-grade areas in composite tumors did not show chromosome 3 alterations.

Conclusions:

  • Loss of BRM expression is a frequent characteristic of poorly differentiated clear cell RCCs.
  • BRM loss is hypothesized to be involved in the de-differentiation process of clear cell RCC.
  • BRM expression status may be an important factor in clear cell RCC tumor progression.
Keywords:
BRM/SMARCA2SWI/SNF complexclear cell carcinomafluorescence in-situ hybridizationhigh-gradeimmunohistochemistrypoorly differentiatedrenal cell carcinomarhabdoidvon Hippel-Lindau

More Related Videos

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells09:24

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells

Published on: August 12, 2015

8.8K
The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays RPPA to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers12:22

The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays RPPA to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers

Published on: January 22, 2013

33.1K

Related Concept Videos

The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
3.7K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.0K
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions01:12

Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
4.9K
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.
32.1K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
3.6K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
3.0K