NDUFA4L2 expression predicts poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.

Background: NDUFA4L2 is overexpressed in VHL-deficient cell lines and neuroblastoma. The clinical significance of NDUFA4L2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been well studied. Therefore, we evaluated the prognostic value of NDUFA4L2 in ccRCC patients.

Methods: In our study, NDUFA4L2 expression in 86 cases of ccRCC and adjacent normal tissues was monitored by immunohistochemistry, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and Western blot analyses. The relationship between NDUFA4L2 expression and the clinical features of ccRCC was assessed.

Results: The results showed that NDUFA4L2 protein expression was found to be higher in ccRCC tissues 81.4% (70/86) than in normal tissues 26.7% (23/86) (p = 0.021). The average level of NDUFA4L2 mRNA expression was found to be 122.23 ± 6.018 and 21.34 ± 1.036 in ccRCC tissue and adjacent normal tissue (p < 0.001). NDUFA4L2 expression levels were correlated with some clinical features of ccRCC. Multivariate analysis showed NDUFA4L2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for ccRCC patients.

Conclusions: Our study has provided the significant clinical relevance of NDUFA4L2 in ccRCC and suggested that ccRCC patients with NDUFA4L2 overexpression may be suitable as a potential therapeutic target for ccRCC patients.