Similarities and differences in the process of metastasis and differentiation of renal cancer on gene expression

Abstract

Background. Metastasing and degree of differentiation refer to the main clinical characteristics of malignant tumors. Both listed features need an in-depth study that can lead to an understanding of the mechanisms for the occurrence of certain state of cancer cells.Objective. Studying the processes of metastasis and differentiation of the clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) on gene expression.Materials and methods. The levels of expression of ten genes in 65 paired samples were studied (ccRCC tumor tissue and the normal kidney tissue) by the real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results. It is shown that the expression of CA9, NDUFA4L2, VWF, IGFBP3, BHLHE41, ANGPTL4 and EGLN3 genes is associated both with the degree of differentiation of the ccRCC and with the metastasis of this tumor. C1QA expression is connected only with metastasis, but does not participate in the process of differentiation of tumor cells. An ambiguous situation with FN1 and CSF1R gene expression is not essential for ccRCC metastasis processes, but may have a certain value for differentiation of cells of this tumor. Low-differentiated tumors have about five times an increased metastasis frequency during the year relative to highly differentiated tumors (odds ratio 4.94). A low correlation of gene expression in tumors with a low degree of differentiation is revealed, as opposed to their high co-expression during tumor progression by TNM classifications.Conclusion. A significant part of genes substantial for the development of ccRCC is associated with both metastasis and the degree of differentiation of the ccRCC, which is due to the similarity of functional changes that stimulate both of these processes. For low-differentiated tumors the number of genes with correlated expression is less than in high-differentiated tumors. This may be due to disorganization of gene expression.