Expression of Claudin-1 and -7 in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Its Clinical Significance

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We investigated the correlations between the expression of claudin-1 and claudin-7 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (clear cell RCC) and clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects of this study were 119 patients with confirmed clear cell RCC between January 2000 and December 2007. Their RCC tissues were immunohistochemically stained for claudin-1 and claudin-7. The correlations between the expression of claudin and parameters such as sex, age, body mass index (BMI), tumor size, TNM stage, Furhman nuclear grade, postoperative distant metastasis, and cancer-specific survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Among the total 119 subjects, claudin-1 was expressed in 18 (15.1%) and claudin- 7 in 31 (26.1%). Claudin-1 was expressed in patients who were older (p=0.007), who had a greater tumor size (p=0.001), who had a higher pathologic T stage (p=0.009), who had preoperative distant metastasis (p=0.035), and who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade (p=0.004). Claudin-7 was expressed only in patients who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade (p=0.031). The risk of postoperative distant metastasis was associated with the expression of claudin-1 (p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In clear cell RCC, claudin-1 was expressed in patients who were older and who had a greater tumor size, who had higher T or M stages, and who had a higher Furhman nuclear grade. The expression of claudin-1 was associated with a higher risk of postoperative distant metastasis.