Project 3.14 of interdisciplinary research centre

Project management: PD Dr. Heiko Wunderlich, Clinic for Urology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

cooperations: Institut of Pathology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany; Institut of Pathology; HELIOS-Klinikum Erfurt; Research Unit " Molecular Cell Biology", Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Core Unit Chip Applications (CUCA), Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genoa, Italy;

"Splicing variants of Tenascin-C as markers for tumour progression an prognosis in urothelial carcinoma of bladder"

Tenascin-C (Tn-C) is reexpressed in association with physiological or pathological processes like wound healing or malignant transformation. Thereby a differential expression resulting in up to 9 splicing variants can be observed. These splicing variants differ in their adhesive properties as well as in their sensitivity to proteolytic cleavage by matrix degrading enzymes, which leads to tumour specific degradation. These splicing variants and degradation products of tenascin-C belong to the provisional extracellular matrix and play an important role in supporting tumour cell migration. An overexpression of tenascin-C is also described for papillar urothel carcinomas. An analysis of differential expression of Tn-C splicing variants with corellation to malignancy grade and invasion behaviour doesn't exist until now.

Aim of the study is the validation of the differential expression pattern of Tn-C splicing variants in relation to its relevance as an parameter for individual prognosis in urothelial carcinoma and to develop an antibody based protein chip for detection of splicing variants in urine as a marker for non invasive tumour surveillance subsequently.