Down-regulation of Ku 70 and Ku 80 mRNA expression in transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder related to tumor progression.

DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) containing the regulatory subunits Ku 70 and Ku 80 plays a prominent role in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks by a nonhomologous end-joining pathway maintaining genomic stability. In an attempt to elucidate the significance of the DNA-PK complex for human urothelial carcinogenesis, the expression of Ku 70 and Ku 80 was studied in 71 transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) of the urinary bladder of various grades and stages, and in relation to lifestyle and occupational bladder cancer risk factors. To analyse the mRNA expression of Ku 70 and Ku 80, real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used and the protein expression assessed by immunohistochemistry. Advanced high-grade, high-stage TCC expressed the mRNA of Ku 70 and Ku 80 at a lower level than superficial low-grade, low-stage carcinomas, suggesting down-regulation of the Ku system to be associated with progression of bladder cancer from a low to a high malignant potential. The protein expression of Ku 70 and Ku 80 was closely related and decreased consistently with increasing grades and stages, paralleling the expression of the mRNA. Among hazardous environmental bladder cancer risk factors, heavy consumption of coffee was associated with a twofold decreased Ku 70 and Ku 80 mRNA expression, whereas tobacco smoke did not substantially affect the activity of the Ku system, except for a trend towards a dose-response relationship in the expression of Ku 70 mRNA. There is some evidence that exposure to polycyclic hydrocarbons, paints and lacquer, and stone dust may modify the expression of Ku 70 mRNA. Although the underlying molecular genetic pathways are not yet clearly understood, our data indicate that down-regulation of the Ku system promotes progression of urothelial carcinogenesis to a more malignant and aggressive clinical behavior, presumably as a result of an impaired capacity for DNA repair.

Application of new in situ hybridization probes for Ku70 and Ku80 in tissue microarrays of paraffin-embedded malignant melanomas: correlation with immunohistochemical analysis.

Ku70 and Ku80 proteins are responsible for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and function as a regulatory subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase. In this study we analyzed expression of both genes in malignant melanoma tissue arrays applying in situ hybridization probes produced by our research group and using immunohistochemical analysis. Expression of both genes was down-regulated as melanoma progressed. In situ hybridization demonstrated more Ku70- and Ku80-positive cells than immunohistochemical methods, but the correlation between the two methods was highly significant (P <0.01). We conclude that the in situ hybridization assay for the detection of Ku70 and Ku80 expression used in this study is also suitable for tissue microarray analysis of paraffin-embedded melanoma samples. The laboratory procedure is much more complicated than the immunohistochemical method, however.