BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is a member of the ubiquitin C‑terminal hydrolase family of deubiquitinating enzymes and is implicated in transcriptional regulation. The BAP1 gene is mutated in about 10% of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common form of renal cancer, suggesting that BAP1 may be a tumor suppressor. However, whether BAP1 influences the progression of ccRCC tumors expressing WT BAP1 is unclear. Here, we assessed the expression and function of BAP1 using human ccRCC specimens and cell lines.