| Abstrakt: |
Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 alpha and Hypoxia Inducible Factor-2 alpha (HIF-1a and HIF-2a) are crucial in Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) formation. Hypoxia Associated Factor (HAF) prompts HIF-1a degradation regardless of oxygen levels, but no such link exists for HIF-2a. This study encompassed 239 cases, where tissue microarray (TMA) sections were exposed to HIF-1a, HIF-2a, and HAF antibodies. Staining intensity and tumor cell percentage determined scores for HIF-1a, HIF-2a, and HAF, with median histoscore establishing "high" or "low" cutoffs. Among the cases, 64.9% (155 cases) were negative for HIF-1a, 17.6% (42 cases) displayed low, and another 17.6% (42 cases) showed strong HIF-1a expression. HIF-1a expression correlated significantly with histological type and World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) nuclear grade. Regarding HIF-2a, 15.5% (37 cases) were negative, 23.4% (56 cases) exhibited low, and 61.1% (146 cases) displayed high expression, with larger tumor size in the high HIF-2a group. Among 239 cases, 41.4% (99 cases) were negative for HAF, 36.8% (88 cases) showed low, and 21.8% (52 cases) displayed high HAF scores. HAF expression correlated with WHO/ISUP nuclear grade and metastasis presence. Notably, HIF-2a staining intensity directly correlated with increased HAF intensity (rho=0.146; p=0.024), while HIF-1a intensity decrease corresponded with heightened HAF intensity, showing a statistically significant negative correlation (rho=-0.180; p=0.005). In this rare examination of tumor tissue, a reverse connection between HIF-1a and HAF expression was uncovered, while a linear link emerged between HIF-2a and HAF expression. Overall, this study established that HIF-1a, HIF-2a, and HAF expression are associated with an unfavorable prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
