Expression of Heat Shock Protein 27 and Apoptosis in Renal Cell Carcinomas

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is induced by heat shock and other pathophysiologic stresses, including neoplastic transformation. We examined the relationship between the HSP27 expression and the clinical and histologic parameters to elucidate the biologic and prognostic significance of HSP27 in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). Its regulation of apoptosis in RCC development was also observed. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical studies for HSP27, caspase 3 and TUNEL on paraffin-embedded tissue microarray specimens from 48 RCCs. RESULTS: There was a tendency to higher expression of HSP27 in the RCC than in normal renal tubular cells. Of the 48 RCCs, the HSP27 expression was positive in 38 cases. An inverse relationship was found between the Fuhrman nuclear grade and HSP27 expression, but this was without statistical significance (r=-0.218, p=0.093). No relationship between the HSP27 expression and the other parameters was observed. Also, no statistically significant difference was observed between apoptosis and the HSP27 expression more (p=0.951). CONCLUSIONS: Although HSP27 expression was increased in RCC than in normal renal tubular cell the HSP27 expression may not be a powerful and statistically significant prognostic indicator in patients with RCC.