Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis

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Expression and clinical significance of sperm-associated antigen 9 in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

FENG Yuan-yuan,HE Xue-jun*,YANG Feng-tao,CAI Cong,SHE Shao-yi   

  1. (Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, Guangdong, China)
  • Received:2012-10-05 Revised:2012-11-16 Online:2013-01-30 Published:2013-01-30
  • Contact: HE Xue-jun,E-mail:hexjst929@126.com

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of sperm-associated antigen 9 (SPAG9) in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC),and analyze its clinical significance. METHODS:The expression of SPAG9 protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry in bladder sections of 98 patients with BTCC and 30 normal bladders. The relationship between SPAG9 and grade of pathology,clinical state and the 2-year recurrence rate were analyzed. RESULTS:No obvious expression of SPAG9 was observed in normal bladder samples. However BTCC samples showed high expression ratio of SPAG9,reaching 75.5% (74/98). Furthermore,the expression level of SPAG9 increased with tumor stage and grade. SPAG9 positive expression rates showed significant difference between histological grades G1,G2 and G3 (P<0.05);and clinical stages Ta and T1 group (P<0.05). Besides,non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients with positive SPAG9 expression showed high incidence of 2-year recurrence. CONCLUSION:SPAG9 is high expressed in BTCC,making it a useful tumor marker and a possible indicator for estimating the invasiveness and recurrence of BTCC. Blocking SPAG9 expression and its functions may become targeted therapy of bladder cancer treatment.

Key words:  bladder transitional cell carcinoma, sperm-associated antigen 9, immunohistochemistry