Carcinoma-associated antigens MK-1 and CEA in urological cancers.
BACKGROUND
The MK-1 antigen, recognized by monoclonal antibody FU-MK-1, is widely associated with human carcinomas. However, the expression and distribution of MK-1 in urological cancers is not well known.


METHODS
We examined the expression of MK-1 in 10 urological tumor cell lines using flow cytometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in 15 cancer tissue specimens by immunohistochemical staining, and then compared it with that of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).


RESULTS
When analyzed by flow cytometry, MK-1 was positive in 2 out of 3 bladder, 3 out of 3 prostate and one out of 4 renal tumor cell lines, whereas CEA was negative in all the 10 tumor cell lines. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of MK-1 mRNA in all the six MK-1-positive tumor cell lines. An immunohistochemical study demonstrated that MK-1 was positive in 2 out of 5 bladder, 2 out of 5 prostate and one out of 5 renal cancer tissues. Again, however, CEA was negative in all the 15 urological cancer tissues tested.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that MK-1 seems to be a useful biological marker for malignant urological tumors, especially in cases of bladder and prostate cancer.
Tomita
Y
Y
First Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
Arakawa
F
F
Hirose
Y
Y
Liao
S
S
Khare
P D
PD
Kuroki
M
M
Yamamoto
T
T
Ariyoshi
A
A
Kuroki
M
M
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule