SIU 2017: COL23A1. Plays an Oncogenic Role in the Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Lisbon, Portugal (UroToday.com) Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common adult renal neoplasm and its incidence continues to rise steadily. Collagen shift is a fundamental element contributing to the development and progression of ccRCC. The authors aimed to examine the expression of the collagen COL23A1 in ccRCC and its relationship to survival outcomes.

The authors analyzed the mRNA expression of COL23A1 in tumors and adjacent normal tissues (ANTs) of 19 ccRCC patients by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and subsequently validate using the TCGA database. Furthermore, the protein level of COL23A1 expression in 151 cases of ccRCC was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The authors also analyzed the correlation between COL23A1 levels and clinical outcomes. Finally, CCK-8 cell counting assay, flow cytometry analysis, and migration assay were analyzed in the ccRCC cell lines.

The results demonstrated that COL23A1 mRNA expression was significantly greater in tumor tissues than in ANTs. This was validated by TCGA database analysis. IHC results suggested that high COL23A1 expression was correlated with larger tumor size (P=0.017) and advanced T stage (P=0.011). Overall survival (OS) was shorter for patients who had tumors with high COL23A1 expression than for those with low expression, (P =0.002). In multivariable analysis, high COL23A1 expression was an independent prognostic factor of OS (HR: 3.024, P = 0.017). In vitro experiments showed that COL23A1 knockdown could decrease proliferation by blocking cell cycle progression. The migration ability was also down regulated when COL23A1 was knocked down.

The authors concluded that COL23A1 may potentially serve as a novel prognostic biomarker for ccRCC. Before its usage as a biomarker, this will need to be validated in other larger cohorts and stratified according to grade as well.


Presented by: Chengyuan Gu
Affiliation: University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China

Written by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.Twitter: @GoldbergHanan at the 37th Congress of Société Internationale d’Urologie - October 19-22, 2017- Lisbon, Portugal