Roles of AEG-1,G-katenin and APC and its relationship with prognostic factors in bladder carcinomas

Aim: Bladder carcinoma is the 4th common cancer in the worldwide, is the 3rd common cancer in Turkey in men and its prevalence and its mortality rates continue to rise. AEG-1 is recently described oncoprotein that is associated with progression in several cancers such as breast, colorectal and ovarian carcinomas. APC is a tumour suppressor gene and negative regulator of B-catenin. In this study it is aimed to research the role of AEG-1, APC and B-catenin in bladder carcinogenesis. Material and Method: 66 cases diagnosed as bladder tumour in Düzce Univercity Faculty of Medicine Department of Pathology were included in the study. Cystectomy and TUR specimens were stained with AEG-1, APC and B-catenin immunohistochemically. Severity and diffusivity of staining were noted and compared statistically using ki-kare and t test with prognostic factors such as patients age, tumour type, histological grade and tumour stage. Results : Cytoplasmic staining of AEG-1 was significantly higher in invaziv urothelial carcinoma than noninvaziv urothelial carcinoma and in-situ carcinoma. (p=0,043). AEG-1 expression was higher in high grade tumours (p=0,044). AEG-1 expression tend to increase with higher histological grade but statistically there were not significant relationship (p=0,137). There were significant relationship between abnormal B-catenin expression and tumour stage ( p=0,016). There were not significant relationship between prognostic factors, tumour type and APC. Concluion : There is not much research in English literature that show relationship between histological grade, tumour progression and AEG-1 expression. In our study there was relationship between invasiveness, tumour stage and AEG-1 expression. This finding leads us to think that AEG-1 is a responsible oncoprotein in bladder carcinoma. B-catenin is a member of WNT signaling pathway and it has a role in E-cadherin regulation. Nuclear accumulation of B-catenin is reported in several carcinomas including bladder carcinoma. In our study we found that as nuclear expression increase, tumour stage and histological grade increase.