Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Markers in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Expression Patterns and Prognostic...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Cancer Genomics

Background:

• Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is an aggressive kidney cancer subtype with poor prognosis.
• Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is crucial for tumor progression, metastasis, and poor outcomes.
• The role of Protocadherin 9 (PCDH9) as a tumor suppressor and its relation to EMT markers in ccRCC are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression patterns of PCDH9, β-catenin (CTNNB1), Snail (SNAI1), and Vimentin (VIM) in ccRCC.
• To determine the prognostic significance of these markers in ccRCC patient survival.
• To explore the relationship between PCDH9 and EMT markers in ccRCC progression.

Main Methods:

• Immunofluorescence analysis on ccRCC tissue samples and adjacent normal renal cortex.
• Validation using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-KIRC) dataset via GEPIA2/GEPIA3 platforms.
• Differential expression, correlation, and survival analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• PCDH9 mRNA was downregulated, while Vimentin (VIM) was upregulated in ccRCC tumors.
• PCDH9 expression correlated positively with EMT markers (ZEB1, SNAI1) in tumors, unlike in normal tissue.
• High PCDH9 and CTNNB1 expression were associated with improved overall survival; VIM predicted progression, SNAI1 predicted mortality.

Conclusions:

• PCDH9 exhibits a tumor-suppressive role in ccRCC, with disrupted co-regulation of adhesion molecules.
• ccRCC displays a partial EMT phenotype, influencing tumor progression and patient outcomes.
• Endpoint-specific prognostic signatures (VIM, SNAI1, CTNNB1) can aid in patient stratification for ccRCC treatment.