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Published on: January 22, 2013
Exploiting NRF2-ARE pathway activation in papillary renal cell carcinoma
Silvia Angori1, Harini Lakshminarayanan1, Amir Banaei-Esfahani1
1Department of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) lacks targeted treatments. This study reveals NRF2-ARE pathway involvement in pRCC, identifying NQO1 as a poor survival marker and potential drug targets like Brusatol for MET-independent pRCC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is the second most common kidney cancer subtype.
- Currently, pRCC lacks specific targeted therapies, especially for non-MET-driven cases.
- The NRF2-ARE pathway is implicated in pRCC development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the NRF2-ARE pathway in pRCC.
- To identify potential therapeutic targets for pRCC, particularly MET-independent subtypes.
Main Methods:
- Copy number analysis and Whole Exome Sequencing of 60 pRCC samples.
- Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for NQO1 expression on tissue microarrays (TMAs).
- Enzymatic activity assays and drug profiling of patient-derived pRCC cells (PDCs) with NRF2-ARE pathway inhibitors.
Main Results:
- Mutations in MET (5%) and NRF2-ARE pathway genes (10%) were identified in pRCC samples.
- Increased NQO1 expression correlated with poor survival, high tumor grade, and advanced stage in pRCC.
- NQO1 levels and activity were elevated in 56% of pRCC tissues and PDCs, with Brusatol and Convallatoxin showing promise as novel therapeutic agents.
Conclusions:
- The NRF2-ARE pathway is significantly involved in pRCC pathogenesis.
- NQO1 serves as a prognostic biomarker for poor survival in pRCC.
- Inhibiting the NRF2 pathway presents a novel therapeutic strategy for MET-independent pRCC.
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