TGF-B1 pathway as biological marker of bladder carcinoma schistosomal and non-schistosomal

ObjectivesStudy TGF-β1 pathway in bladder carcinoma.Design and methodsEighty-one patients were enrolled: 16 chronic cystitis and 60 malignant bladder lesions; 15 schistosomal squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC), 45 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). Five healthy individuals served as controls. mTGF-β1, protein, and its receptor expression in urine and bladder tissue were measured using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques, respectively.ResultsOverexpression of TGF-mRNA in invasive TCC group was compared with superficial TCC, high grade TCC was compared with low grade, and SQCC was compared with TCC. TGF-β1 protein and its receptor I (TGF-βR1) were overexpressed in urine samples in malignant group compared with chronic cystitis and in SQCC group compared with TCC group. TGF-ß1 protein and its receptor were significantly increased in schistosomal malignant group compared with non-schistosomal group.ConclusionExpression of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ßR1 could be used as biological markers of bladder carcinoma.