rss
J Clin Pathol 2004;57:706-711 doi:10.1136/jcp.2003.011767
  • Original article

Molecular genetic analysis of FIH-1, FH, and SDHB candidate tumour suppressor genes in renal cell carcinoma

  1. M R Morris2,
  2. E Maina1,
  3. N V Morgan2,
  4. D Gentle2,
  5. D Astuti,
  6. H Moch3,
  7. T Kishida4,
  8. M Yao4,
  9. P Schraml3,
  10. F M Richards2,
  11. F Latif2,
  12. E R Maher2
  1. 1Section of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Birmingham, the Medical School, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
  2. 2CRC Renal Molecular Oncology Research Group, University of Birmingham
  3. 3Institute for Pathology, University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
  4. 4Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohoma 236-0004, Japan
  1. Correspondence to:
 Professor E R Maher
 Section of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Birmingham, the Medical School, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; E.R.Maherbham.ac.uk
  • Accepted 17 November 2003

Abstract

Background: Overexpression of the hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and HIF-2 transcription factors and the consequent upregulation of hypoxia inducible mRNAs is a feature of many human cancers and may be unrelated to tissue hypoxia. Thus, the VHL (von Hippel-Lindau) tumour suppressor gene (TSG) regulates HIF-1 and HIF-2 expression in normoxia by targeting the α subunits for ubiquitination and proteolysis. Inactivation of the VHL TSG in VHL tumours and in sporadic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) results in overexpression of HIF-1 and HIF-2. However, RCC without VHL inactivation may demonstrate HIF upregulation, suggesting that VHL independent pathways for HIF activation also exist. In RCC, three candidate HIF activating genes exist—FIH-1 (factor inhibiting HIF), SDHB, and FH—which may be dependent or independent of VHL inactivation.

Aims: To investigate FIH-1, SDHB, and FH for somatic mutations in sporadic RCC.

Methods: Gene mutation was analysed in primary RCCs (clear cell RCCs, papillary RCCs, and oncocytomas) and RCC cell lines. SDHB mutation analysis was performed by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography followed by direct sequencing of aberrant PCR products. FH and FIH-1 mutation analysis were performed by single stranded conformational polymorphism and direct sequencing of PCR products.

Results: No mutations were identified in the three genes investigated.

Conclusions: There was no evidence to suggest that somatic mutations occur in the FH, FIH-1, or SDHB TSGs in sporadic RCCs.

Footnotes

  • The first two authors contributed equally to this work.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.