Mp60-05 Erythropoietin Receptor May Become a Target for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

paired metastatic tumors, and 8 paired normal kidney samples by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: NF2 mutations are enriched in higher grade (>pT3, pT4) and metastatic tumors compared to low grade or non-metastatic tumors (20-30% vs. 1.5%), and are associated with a decreased disease-free survival. Cell lines derived from metastatic RCC have lower NF2 expression than cell lines derived from local tumors, more importantly, MERLIN protein levels are decreased or undetectable by Western blot or IHC in metastatic derived cell lines. The metastatic lines Caki1 and ACHN have increased metastatic potential as measured by increased colony formation. MERLIN was absent in a tumor with sarcomatoid differentiation but was present in all 8 metastatic samples.CONCLUSIONS: These results support a potential intriguing role for MERLIN loss of function in the clinically-relevant phenotypic transition from localized to invasive RCC. The model system described here will provide a crucial framework for testing MERLIN 0 s influence on invasiveness through knockdown and rescue of MERLIN activity in appropriate RCC cell lines.