Resumen
The PBRM1 protein, whose gene is the most frequently mutated one in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) following von Hippel-Lindau, has been proposed as a potential biomarker for ccRCC. However, the association of the PBRM1 immunohistochemical expression with histomorphological features of ccRCC and the endothelial expression of tumor vasculature, which is an important role of the tumor microenvironment related to treatment response, is little known. Recently, our research team has established a vascularity-based architectural classification of ccRCC correlated with angiogenesis and immune gene expression signatures, which could provide prognostic information and function as a surrogate for treatment selection. In the present study, we found the PBRM1 expression was correlated with the architectural patterns. Furthermore, we demonstrated that endothelial expression tended to be lost in cases with low PBRM1 expression. This correlation implied the orchestrated expression of PBRM1, raising the possibility that the cancer cells and their microenvironment interact in ccRCC.