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EXPRESSION OF CATHEPSIN D IN TRANSITIONAL CELL BLADDER TUMOURS
Author(s) -
LIPPONEN PERTTI K.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9896(199601)178:1<59::aid-path418>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - cathepsin d , pathology , immunohistochemistry , cathepsin b , cathepsin l , bladder cancer , cathepsin , histology , biopsy , medicine , carcinoma , biology , cancer , enzyme , biochemistry
Biopsy specimens from 177 bladder tumours were analysed by immunohistochemical methods for the expression of cathepsin D. Strong expression of cathepsin D was detected in transitional carcinoma cells in 40 per cent of cases. Umbrella cells were positive in 29 per cent of cases and a cathepsin D‐positive cell zone composed of tissue macrophages was detected at the invasion front in 34 per cent of tumours. Strong expression of cathepsin D was related to muscle invasive growth phase (T⩾2) ( P =0·019), grade 2–3 histology ( P =0·008), S‐phase fraction over 10 per cent ( P =0·032), and overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ( P <0·001). Umbrella cells were positive in low‐grade ( P =0·03) papillary tumours ( P =0·02) with an S‐phase fraction ⩽10 per cent ( P =0·02). Cathepsin D was expressed in macrophage‐like cells in the invasion front in tumours which were densely infiltrated by inflammatory cells ( P =0·017) and in tumours overexpressing EGFR ( P =0·017) or p53 protein ( P =0·007). Progression in N‐ ( P =0·04) and M‐categories ( P =0·01) was related to strong expression of cathepsin D in cancer cells and in univariate survival analysis; this was weakly related to poor outcome ( P =0·09). In multivariate analysis, papillary status ( P =0·055) and S‐phase fraction ( P =0·079) predicted prognosis in Ta‐1 tumours. In T2–4 tumours, T‐category ( P <0·001), papillary status ( P <0·001), S‐phase fraction ( P =0·028), and the presence of cathepsin D‐positive tissue macrophages ( P =0·017) were independent prognostic factors.