Decreased expression of SATB2 associates with tumor growth and predicts worse outcome in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background/Aim: SATB2 (special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2) is a DNA-binding protein that is involved in transcriptional regulation and chromatin remodeling. SATB2 protein has been described as a promising novel marker in several human cancers. Patients and Methods: This study compared SATB2 expression in tumor and matched unchanged renal tissues collected from 57 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). SATB2 mRNA levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, while SATB2 protein expression was estimated by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, the associations between SATB2 expression in ccRCC samples and clinicopathological and survival data of the patients were investigated. Results: The mRNA level of SATB2 was lower in tumor tissues than in samples of corresponding unchanged kidney. Although the average immunoreactivity of SATB2 protein did not differ significantly between cancer cells and epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules, the decreased SATB2 expression in tumor specimens inversely correlated with the size of primary tumor and predicted worse patients’ outcome. Conclusion: The results of the presented study suggest the tumor-suppressing function of SATB2 and that the expression level of this protein can be considered a potential prognostic factor in ccRCC.