ABSENCE OF FRAMESHIFT MUTATIONS IN THE BAX GENE IN RENAL-CELL CANCER (RCC) AND TRANSITIONAL-CELL CANCER (TCC)

Background: Bax protein, a member of the Bcl-2 family, regulates the a poptotic pathway that involves both Bcl-2 and p53, bar mutations are f ound in hematological malignancies, colon cancer. with microsatellite mutator phenotype, and some other cancers. We evaluated the possibilit y that Bar functions as a TCC or RCC tumor suppressor gene. Materials and Methods: Using Western blot and polymerase chain reaction-single s trand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) we looked for somatic mutat ions in a tract of eight deoxyguanosines (G)(8) within third exon of b ar in TCC and RCC cell lines and tumor specimens. Results: We failed t o reveal genetic alterations, at least in this specific region of bar gene in urological cancers. Conclusion: Alterations of bax, at least a t investigated specific region, do not play considerable role in RCC o r TCC tumorigenesis.