title: Expression profile ofSPACA5/Spaca5in spermatogenesis and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
abstract: The majority of bladder cancer-associated mortalities are due to transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), which is the most prevalent and chemoresistant malignancy of the bladder. Sperm acrosome associated 5 (SPACA5)/Spaca5 is a sperm acrosome-associated, c-type lysozyme-like protein that has been recently identified, and has been designated as an attractive candidate antigen for cancer testis. In the present study, the expression profile ofSPACA5/Spaca5was analyzed in spermatogenesis and TCC of the bladder using diverse molecular and cellular biology methods. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to analyze the multi-tissue distribution and temporal expression ofSPACA5/Spaca5, theSPACA5/Spaca5gene was determined to be generally not expressed in normal tissue, with the exception of the testis, and it could be detected at a low level on day 20 after birth in mouse testes and at a higher level on day 28. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed that the SPACA5/Spaca5 protein was exclusively observed in the elongated spermatid of the normal testes, and was ectopically expressed in the cytoplasm of TCC, while it was not expressed in normal bladder tissues. The frequency ofSPACA5messenger RNA was detected in 45% of TCC (9/20) by RT-quantitative PCR. Furthermore, SPACA5 protein was more frequently detected in high-grade than in low-grade tumors (61.54 vs. 30.00%, P=0.035). Accordingly, high SPACA5 staining scores were observed to be significantly associated with high-grade tumors (n=65, R=0.279, P=0.027). Collectively, our findings indicated thatSPACA5/Spaca5may be important in male spermatogenesis and may be used as a potential target for specific immunotherapy in patients suffering from TCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Education, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yue
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital of Qingyuan, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital of Qingyuan, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital of Qingyuan, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cai-Rong
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The People's Hospital of Qingyuan, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Qingyuan, Guangdong 511518, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Run-Qiang
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Education, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Education, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518035, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ai-Fa
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: cancer testis antigens; immunotherapy; sperm acrosome associated 5; spermatogenesis; transitional cell carcinoma