LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMIN-E AND VITAMIN-A IN HUMAN RENAL-CORTEX AND RENAL-CELL CARCINOMAS

Vitamin E was quantified in renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and in 'intact ' renal cortex, obtained from 31 patients subjected either to unilater al. nephrectomy or to partial resection of the only kidney. Histologic ally, 14 tumors consisted predominantly of clear cells (group 1) and 1 7 of other cell types (group 2). In both groups, a significant increas e in vitamin E concentration, as compared to the 'intact' cortex, was observed: 167.8 +/- 27.9 and 68.2 +/- 15.2 mu g/g wet tissue weight(me an +/- SEM) for groups 1 and 2, respectively, versus 10.1 +/- 0.53 mu g/g wet tissue weight for the cortex. Although the total lipid content was also increased in tumors (especially in group 1), the vitamin E c oncentration in tumor tissue, calculated per milligram of total lipids , proved to be much higher in both groups than in 'intact' cortex. A s ignificant positive correlation was observed between vitamin E and tot al lipid content in group I and 2 carcinomas. It was also found that v itamin E accumulation in RCC is unlikely to be attributed to an enhanc ed lipid deposit in the tumor cells. Thus, in 8 tumors of group 2 the vitamin E levels were markedly enhanced although these tumors did not differ from the cortex in total lipid concentrations. Vitamin A conten t determined in 17 carcinomas, when calculated per milligram of total lipids, was the same as in 'intact' cortex.