This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hotakainen, K. Articles by Stenman, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hotakainen, K. Articles by Stenman, J.

JMD 2006, Vol. 8, No. 5
Copyright © 2006 American Society for Investigative Pathology & Association for Molecular Pathology

Expression Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ß-Subunit Type I Genes Predicts Adverse Outcome In Renal Cell Carcinoma

Kristina Hotakainen^*, Susanna Lintula^*, Börje Ljungberg, Patrik Finne^*, Annukka Paju^*, Ulf-Håkan Stenman^* and Jakob Stenman^*

From the Department of Clinical Chemistry; * Helsinki University Central Hospital and Helsinki University, Helsinki, Finland; the Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Urology and Andrology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; and the Department of Surgery, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Expression of the free ß-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCGß) in malignant tumors is frequently associated with aggressive disease. The pretreatment serum concentration of hCGß is an independent prognostic variable in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The three so-called type II genes (hCGß 3/9, 5, and 8) have been shown to be up-regulated in relation to type I genes (hCGß 6/7) in some malignant tumors. We developed a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method for quantification of relative levels of the mRNAs for the two types of hCGß genes and studied the association between the expression in RCC tissue (n = 104) and clinical outcome. hCGß mRNA expression was detected in 40% (42 of 104) of the tumors, and in 40 of these (93%), this consisted of hCGß type I mRNA only, whereas type II hCGß mRNA was detected in two samples. hCGß mRNA expression was significantly associated with a shorter disease-specific (log-rank P = 0.023; median survival 1.4 versus 7.9 years) and overall survival (log-rank P = 0.011). In a Cox regression model, stage (P < 0.0001) and hCGß mRNA expression (P < 0.0001) were independent prognostic variables. We conclude that expression of type I hCGß genes indicates adverse prognosis in RCC.