The LIM and SH3 (LASP)-1 protein is a focal adhesion protein that has been linked to oncogenesis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic use of the detection of LASP-1 in tumor specimens and in urine for noninvasive detection of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). Immunohistochemical staining for LASP-1 was performed on 72 archived bladder tumor specimens, and LASP-1 content was measured in 132 spontaneous urine sample sediments by Western blot analysis. In the histologic specimens, immunohistochemical staining for LASP-1 showed abundant expression throughout the urothelium of the bladder and ureter. However, modest overexpression of LASP-1 was observed in the TCC specimens. Measurement of the LASP-1 protein concentrations in urinary cell pellets from healthy donors and bladder cancer patients was highly sensitive for the presence of TCC. The cut-off value was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. When a cut-off value of 1 ng LASP-1/500 μl of urine was used, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the assay were 83.1%, 85.3%, 83.1%, and 80.6%, respectively. The increased urinary LASP-1 content in TCC patients was attributable in part to a specific increase in cell shedding presumably caused by changes in cell adhesion, as confirmed by LASP-1 knockdown. Contamination with erythrocytes above 250 cells/μl and urinary infection gave false positive results and are therefore sample exclusion criteria. In conclusion, in the absence of urinary infection or gross hematuria, urinary LASP-1 level is a promising marker for transitional cell carcinoma.
Written by:
Ardelt P, Grünemay N, Strehl A, Jilg C, Miernik A, Kneitz B, Butt E. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg Medical School, Freiburg, Germany.
Reference: Urol Oncol. 2012 Apr 3. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2012.02.002
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22481019