LRRK2 is a Candidate Prognostic Biomarker for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Abstract Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), derived from renal tubular epithelial cells, is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney. The study of key genes related to the pathogenesis of ccRCC has become important for gene target therapy. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were performed to examine the expression pattern and prognostic significance of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) expression and its relationship to clinical parameters. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to verify LRRK2 expression.Results: Bioinformatics analysis showed that LRRK2 expression was up-regulated in ccRCC, which was confirmed in ccRCC tissue immunohistochemically and by protein analysis. The level of expression was related to gender, pathological grade, stage and metastatic status of ccRCC patients. Meanwhile, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high expression of LRRK2 correlates to a better prognosis; protein-protein interaction network analysis showed that LRRK2 interacts with HIF1A and EGFR.Conclusion: We found that LRRK2 may play an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of ccRCC. Our findings provided a potential predictor and therapeutic target in ccRCC.