title: Heterogeneity of uroplakin localization in human normal urothelium, papilloma and papillary carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uroplakins are differentiation-related membrane proteins of urothelium. We compared uroplakin expression and ultrastructural localization in human normal urothelium, papilloma and papillary carcinoma. Because of high recurrence rate of these tumours, treated by transurethral resection, we investigated urothelial tumour, resection border and uninvolved urothelium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urinary bladder samples were obtained from tumour free control subjects and patients with papilloma and papillary carcinoma. Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron labelling of uroplakins were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal human urothelium with continuous uroplakin-positive superficial cell layer uroplakins were localized to flattened mature fusiform vesicles and apical plasma membrane of umbrella cells. Diverse uroplakin expression was found in papilloma and papillary carcinoma. Three aberrant differentiation stages of urothelial cells, not found in normal urothelium, were recognized in tumours. Diverse uroplakin expression and aberrant differentiation were occasionally found in resection border and in uninvolved urothelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated here that uroplakin expression and localization in urothelial tumours is altered when compared to normal urothelium. In patients with papilloma and papillary carcinoma immunolabelling of uroplakins at ultrastructural level shows aberrant urothelial differentiation. It is possible that aberrant differentiation stages of urothelial cells in resection border and in uninvolved urothelium contribute to high recurrence rate.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Dasa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zupancic
authors.forename: Rok
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romih
keywords: human urothelium; immunoelectron microscopy; immunohistochemistry; papillary carcinoma; papilloma; uroplakins