Principal Investigators:

Tung-Tien Sun, Ph.D., Professor of Dermatology & Pharmacology, NYUMC

Xue-Ru Wu, M.D., Assistant Professor of Urology and Microbiology, NYUMC

Roland Moll, M.D., Assistant Medical Director, Institute of Pathology, University Klinik Mainz, Germany

Background

Bladder cancer ranks fifth among the most common types of neoplasms. Approximately 50,000 new cases are diagnosed yearly, 20% of which will die from this disease despite aggressive treatment. Improved methods for the detection, classification and treatment of bladder cancers will therefore be of major value. Well-differentiated bladder tumors, most commonly seen as transitional cell carcinomas, are easy to diagnose by routine histological examination. However, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose poorly differentiated bladder cancers, particularly those that have metastasized to distant body sites. A large proportion of metastatic bladder cancers, even those that are poorly differentiated, express uroplakins. Antibodies to uroplakins are unique and can potentially be a useful tool for the differential diagnosis of bladder cancers.

Project Description

Since the uroplakins (UPs) are the first known urothelial differentiation markers, their presence and localization patterns in a broad range of human carcinomas have been evaluated using immunohistochemical staining procedures. In papillary transitional carcinomas (TCCs), the apical membrane patter of normal urothelial umbrella cells was, in part, retained. In both papillary and invasive TCCs, including their metastases, variously sized lumina exhibited membrane staining for UPs. Positive reactions for UP III were noted in both papillary noninvasive TCCs and invasive TCCs and in TCC metastases, while non-TCC carcinomas of various origins were consistently negative for UPs. These results indicated that UPs are useful markers for TCCs as they are able to reveal specific urothelial differentiation features expressed in a significant portion of the tumors, even after metastasis. UPII and III were also found to be highly specific urothelial lineage markers and are useful for the histodiagnosis of carcinoma metastases of uncertain origin.

Dr. Sun's group has developed antibodies to urothelial apical surface antigens for the detection, classification and treatment of bladder cancer. A panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to individual uroplakins has been generated. A method of using antibodies to uroplakins and other urothelial apical antigens for improved chemotherapy of bladder cancers is also an object of this project.

Applications

(1) Diagnosis of poorly differentiated bladder cancers comprised of detecting uroplakins in cells or tissue with antibodies to uroplakins. (2) Histodiagnosis of metastatic carcinomas of uncertain origin. (3) Potential treatment of metastatic bladder cancer. NYU is seeking a partner(s) to develop these applications for commercial use.

Patent Status

A patent application covering this novel technology has been filed in the United States.

For further information please contact:

New York University
Industrial Liaison/Technology Transfer
650 First Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016
Tel: (212) 263-8178 Fax: (212) 263-8189