Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP60-05
Sources of Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number: 81172418 and 81572506)

Introduction

Drugs targeting the molecules downstairs VHL gene have improved progression-free survival and replaced non-specific immunotherapy with cytokines in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). While the fact remains that despite a decade of established targeted therapy for RCC, the median survival of patients with metastatic RCC is still unsatisfying. Novel targeted therapies will have decisively improved the outlook for patients with renal cell cancer. In this study we evaluate the function of erythropoietin (Epo) and its receptor (EpoR) in RCC and whether it can be a target for RCC.

Methods

RNA interference method was used to down regulate EpoR in RCC cell lines to investigate the function of Epo/EpoR pathway in human RCC cells. We also prepared polyclonal rabbit anti-EpoR antibody (EpoR Ab) by immunizing rabbits with the transmembrane domain polypeptide of EpoR, and tested the effect of the EpoR Ab for RCC cells in vitro and vivo.

Results

Epo and EpoR co-express in RCC cell lines. Down-regulation of EpoR expression in RCC cells by lentivirus-introduced siRNA resulted in inhibition of growth and invasiveness of RCC cells. The EpoR Ab could bound to RCC cells and inhibited the cancer cells proliferation in both vitro and vivo.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that Epo/EpoR pathway is involved in cell growth, invasion and survival in RCC cells. EpoR might be a new therapeutic target for renal cell carcinoma, and antibody against EpoR may become an effective agent for RCCs.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number: 81172418 and 81572506)