title: Immunohistochemical quantification of the vitamin B12 transport protein (TCII), cell surface receptor (TCII-R) and Ki-67 in human tumor xenografts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer cells have an essential demand for vitamin B12 (cobalamin) to enable cellular replication. The present pilot study quantified the immunohistochemical expression of vitamin B12 transport protein (Transcobalamin II; TCII), cell surface receptor (Transcobalamin II-R; TCII-R) and proliferation protein (Ki-67) in human tumor xenografts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue microarray slides containing 34 xenograft tumor tissues were immunohistochemically stained using TCN2 (anti-TCII), CD320 (anti-TCII-R) and MIB-1 (anti-Ki-67) antibodies. Representatively stained areas of all slides were digitally imaged and protein expression was quantified using ImageJ software plugins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All xenograft tumor tissues stained positively for TCII, TCII-R and Ki-67 proteins; expression varied both within and between tumor types. Correlation between TCII/TCII-R and Ki-67 expression was not significant in xenograft tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proliferating cancer cells express measurable levels of TCII and TCII-R. Immunohistochemical quantification of these markers may be useful as a tool for detection of tumors, tailored selection of anti-tumor therapies and surveillance for evidence of recurrent disease.
authors.affiliation: BNOAT Oncology Inc., Akron Innovation Campus, 411 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Suite 105, Akron, OH, 44311, USA. jbauer@bnoat.com.
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sysel
authors.forename: Victor E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Valli
authors.forename: Ray B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nagle
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D014155:Transcobalamins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014155:Transcobalamins; C028176:transcobalamin receptor
keywords: Ki-67; Vitamin B12; immunohistochemistry; receptor; transcobalamin II; transport protein; xenograft