Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in human transitional cell carcinoma of bladder and its clinical significance

Objective:To explore the expression and significance of cyclooxygenase-2 in human transitional cell carcinoma of bladder.Methods:A total of 42 samples of paraffin-embedded TCC tissue and 8 normal bladder sample were stained by SP immunohistochemical method with specific anti COX-2 antibody.The correlation between the positive expression rates and grades of tumor was analyzed.RT-PCR studied the expression of COX-2 in bladder carcinoma tissue.Results:Expression rate of COX-2 protein was significantly correlated to the tumor grades and their invasiveness.Expression rate of COX-2 protein in TCC was 61.9%,statistically higher than those in the normal samples(P0.05).Expression of COX-2 was detected 33.3%in Low-grade TCC,and 87.5%in high-grade TCC(P0.05).Expression of COX-2 was detected 30.0%in non-invasive TCC,and 90.9% in invasive TCC(P0.05).RT-PCR showed that the expression of COX-2 mRNA was strongly up-regulated in bladder carcinoma.Conclusion:The expression of COX-2 is enhanced in high-grade and invasive TCC,suggesting a possible role of COX-2 in the formation of TCC.COX-2 might be a biomarker and a therapeutic target in human TCC.