The entire miR-200 seed family is strongly deregulated in clear cell renal cell cancer compared to the proximal tubular epithelial cells of the kidney.

Despite numerous studies reporting deregulated microRNA (miRNA) and gene expression patterns in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), no direct comparisons have been made to its presumed normal counterpart: the renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). The aim of this study was to determine the miRNA expression profiles of 10 ccRCC-derived cell lines and short-term cultures of PTEC and to correlate these with their gene expression and copy-number profiles. Using microarray-based methods, a significantly altered expression level in ccRCC cell lines was observed for 23 miRNAs and 1630 genes. The set of miRNAs with significantly decreased expression levels include all members of the miR-200 family known to be involved in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition process. Expression levels of 13 of the 47 validated target genes for the downregulated miRNAs were increased more than twofold. Our data reinforce the importance of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition process in the development of ccRCC.