Expressions of Fas and FasL in renal cell carcinoma and its significance

Objective To evaluate the role of Fas and FasL in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and its relationship with clinicopathology. Methods Fas and FasL expressions in 42 cases of RCC and 20 cases of normal kidney tissues were measured by SP immunohistochemical technique. Results ①Fas expression rate in renal cell carcinomas was lower than that the in the normal kidney tissues ( P 0.01), but FasL expression rate in renal cell carcinoma was higher than that in normal kidney tissues ( P 0.01). The expressions of Fas and FasL had a correlation in normal kidney tissues ( r =0.885, P 0.01), but not in renal cell carcinomas ( r =-0.245, P 05). ②The protein expression rate of Fas and FasL showed no significant difference between the pathological types and clinical stages ( P 0.05). With the advance of RCC cell grade, the Fas protein expression rate increased ( P 0.01), but the Fasl protein expression rate decreased ( P 0.01). FasL protein expression was significantly higher in the group with lymph node metastasis than that in the group without lymph node metastasis ( P 0.05), but no significant difference of Fas protein expression was found between two groups ( P 0.05). Conclusion Dysfunction of the interaction between Fas and FasL may play an important role in occurrence and progression of renal cell carcinoma. The Fas and FasL protein expressions may be associated with pathological grade.