title: Immunohistochemical localization of cytokeratin 17 in transitional cell carcinomas of the human urinary tract.
abstract: The expression of cytokeratin (CK) 17 was studied in 28 primary transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) of the human urinary tract using CK 17-specific monoclonal antibody E3. While CK 17 was not detectable at all or only present in some areas of basal cells in normal--appearing urothelium, a certain subpopulation of cells of all G1 and G1/G2 TCCs examined (9 cases) stained positive for CK 17. These latter cells were either restricted to the basal compartment or located also in suprabasal layers exhibiting a decreasing intensity of immunoreactivity. CK 17 was seen in practically all cells in G2 and G2/G3 tumors (7 cases). In contrast, G3 TCCs and anaplastic carcinomas showed a highly variable CK 17 staining pattern ranging from completely negative to completely positive with several intermediate phenotypes. Our results indicate that CK 17 could be a useful marker for the progression of urinary tumors.
authors.affiliation: Russian Cancer Research Center, Moscow.
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Guelstein
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tchipysheva
authors.forename: V D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Ermilova
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Troyanovsky
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis*; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007633:Keratins