Overexpression of humanmutT homologue gene messenger RNA in renal-cell carcinoma: Evidence of persistent oxidative stress in cancer

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Data regarding oxidatively modified DNA bases suggest that cancer cells are more exposed to oxidative stress than adjacent non-tumorous tissue. This novel concept may contribute to the understanding of certain aspects of tumor biology such as activated transcription factors, genetic instability, chemotherapy-resistance and metastasis. We therefore tested this concept in human renal-cell carcinomas (RCCs) by evaluating the expression of hMTH1, an enzyme preventing the misincorporation into DNA of 8-oxo-dGTP (8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine triphosphate), an oxidized form of dGTP in the nucleotide pool. The expression of hMTH1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in tumorous kidney. Moreover, advanced-stage tumors showed significantly higher hMTH1 mRNA expression than early-stage tumors, and there was a modest linear correlation between hMTH1 expression and c-myc expression. The results provide logical support for the concept of “persistent oxidative stress in cancer” and suggest a role of hMTH1 mRNA level as a prognostic marker.