Clinical significance of serum soluble T cell regulatory molecules in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:396064. doi: 10.1155/2014/396064. Epub 2014 Jun 25.

Abstract

To clarify the role of serum soluble T cell regulatory molecules in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), we measured the serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3), and soluble cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (sCTLA-4) in 70 CCRCC patients and 35 healthy controls. We investigated correlations between the serum levels of these soluble T cell regulatory molecules and the pathological grade, clinical stage, and prognosis of CCRCC. We also assessed the relations among each of these soluble molecules. As a result, the serum level of sIL-2R was significantly higher in CCRCC patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.05). In addition, elevation of serum sIL-2R was significantly correlated with the clinical stage (P < 0.001), and the survival of patients with high sIL-2R levels was shorter than that of patients with low sIL-2R levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the serum level of sB7-H3 was also significantly correlated with the clinical stage (P < 0.05), while the sIL-2R and sB7-H3 levels showed a positive correlation with each other (R = 0.550, P < 0.0001). These results indicate that the serum level of sIL-2R reflects tumor progression in CCRCC patients. In addition, the possibility was suggested that the IL-2/IL-2R and B7-H3 pathways may be involved in the progression of CCRCC.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / pathology*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • B7 Antigens / blood
  • CTLA-4 Antigen / blood
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Immune System
  • Interleukin-2 / blood
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / blood
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • B7 Antigens
  • CD276 protein, human
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • CTLA4 protein, human
  • Interleukin-2
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2