Changes in the Physico-Chemical Properties of Human Kidney Cell Membranes during the Cancer Transformation

Kidney tissue is particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species attack which leads to development of cancer. During oxidative stress, membrane lipids and proteins are major targets of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This work is focused on changes of phospholipids, proteins content and electric charge that occur in cell membranes of kidney cancer of pT3 stage, grade G3 and with metastasis. Qualitative and quantitative phospholipid composition and the presence of integral membrane proteins were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Electrophoresis was used to determine the surface charge density of the human kidney cell membrane. It was shown that the process of cancer transformation was accompanied by an increase phospholipid levels and altered the level of integral proteins as determined by decrease phenylalanine, tyrosine, cysteine and arginine. Moreover, the process of cancer transformation significantly enhanced changes in the surface charge density of the human kidney cell membrane. Cell membrane structure and function are modified by neoplasm lesion.