The Expression Of C-kit Protein In Children's Nephroblastomas

Objective: Nephroblastoma(Wilms'tumor) is one of the most common solid tumors during childhood. The C-kit protein(Stem cell factor receptor, CD117) is over-expressed in different tumors, almost specifically presenting in Gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs). Accordinglly, we speculated that C-kit protein was also over-expressed in Wlims'tumor. To confirm this hypothesis and to investigate this biomarker is whether in correlation with the treatment of Wilms'tumor and its prognosis, we examed the expressions of C-kit protein in all cases, contributing to discuss its possible functions within the tumor and to estimate the value of the C-kit protein for clinical therapy and prognosis of this disease.Method: All 40 cases of Wilms'tumor patients were undergone a surgical therapy, excised tumor samples were made into sections after paraffin-embedded. Using anti-CD117 polyclonal antibody and standard ABC technique we immunostained all the samples. Negive-controls were gethered from accidently injuryed kidneies, while positive-controls were obtained from GIST patients.Results: In all C-kit positive cases, the staining was focal, with patch distribution. According to NWTS, significantly higher C-kit expression was noticed in a more advanced stage of development(p<0.01). Moreover, over-expression of C-kit protein was in significantly correlation with the death of patients(p<0.05) and the recurrences of disease(p<0.05). In unfavorable histology exmaples, C-kit was significantly higher than in favorable ones(p<0.05). However, on multivariate analysis, we didn't find that C-kit expression was in close relation with prognosis.Conclusion: the over-expression of C-kit seems to be in close correlation with higher staging and unfavorable histology, increasing the risk of recurrence and death, and it could influence the prognosis of the disease.