The aim of the study was to assess the capabilities of mRNA genes encoding CD16a (FCGR3A) and CD16b (FCGR3B) in tumor samples from patients with renal cancer, and characterize the tumor process in relation to clinical and morphological factors.
Materials and methods: We used 125 tumor samples from patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of renal cancer T1-4N0-1M0-1. A method described by Chomczynski and Sacchi was used to isolate nucleic acids. The mRNA levels were determined using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and calculated according to ΔΔCt formula, taking into account the reaction efficiency.
Results: mRNA of the FCGR3A gene was detected in all tumor tissue samples under study; in contrast, mRNA of the FCGR3B gene was found only in 92.0% (115/125) of cases. In tumors classified as pT1, the mRNA content of the FCGR3A gene was significantly lower than that in tumor samples of pT3 size. There was the significant increase in the mRNA content of both genes with an increase in tumor grade, as well as in the cases with distant metastases. The presence of a tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava system was accompanied by a significant increase in the mRNA content of the FCGR3A gene.
Conclusion: In tumor tissue samples from patients with clear cell renal cancer, the predominant production of the FCGR3A mRNA was observed in comparison with the FCGR3B mRNA. The revealed relationship of an increased amount of the FCGR3A mRNA and, in some cases, the FCGR3B mRNA with a number of clinical and morphological factors enables to consider the mRNA level of the genes as new monitoring biomarkers.
Keywords: mRNA of FCGR3A gene; mRNA of FCGR3B gene; monitoring renal cancer markers.