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Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 2000 May;53(5):388–390. doi: 10.1136/jcp.53.5.388

The importance of IL-6 protein expression in primary human renal cell carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study

B Paule 1, J Belot 1, C Rudant 1, C Coulombel 1, C C Abbou 1
PMCID: PMC1731193  PMID: 10889822

Abstract

Aims—Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is produced by some renal carcinoma cell lines in vitro. This might be biologically important because IL-6 is a cytokine of particular interest, owing to its involvement in the growth of renal cell carcinoma. In this study, the expression of IL-6 protein in tissue samples from primary renal cell carcinoma was analysed, and then its clinical importance was examined.

Methods—The distribution of IL-6 in renal cell carcinoma was examined by means of an immunohistochemical method in 47 untreated primary renal cell carcinoma samples. The search for a significant difference between histological patterns, Furhman's grading system, TNM classification, and IL-6 protein expression was carried out.

Results—Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that IL-6 is expressed in 70% of primary tumours. There was no significant difference in the tumour size and grade between renal cell carcinomas with or without IL-6 expression. However, a relatively large number of high grade tumours expressed IL-6.

Conclusion—The importance of IL-6 expression with regard to tumour size/local growth is questionable because IL-6 has been correlated with the development of metastatic disease. These data suggest that the production of IL-6 could exert a growth inhibitory effect on primary renal cell carcinoma.

Key Words: interleukin 6 • renal cell carcinoma • immunohistochemistry

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Figure 1 Interleukin 6 (IL-6) specific immunostaining of clear cell carcinoma (original magnification x400).

Selected References

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