Expression of apoptosis inhibitor gene Livin in bladder transitional cell carcinoma and clinical implication thereof

Abstract

To study the expression of Livin, an apoptosis inhibitor gene, in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), and to investigate its clinical and pathological implications. Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of Livin in the tissues of TCC, 21 among them being recurrent carcinoma, obtained during operation from 60 cases, 48 males and 12 females, aged 58.6 (34 approximately 85), and 10 samples of tissues far from the TCC from the 60 cases. The overall positive rate of Livin in the 60 cases of TCC was 28.3% (17/60), and was 0 in the 10 cases of tissues far from the TCC. The Livin positivity was not correlated with tumor stage and grade (both P > 0.05). The positive rate of the recurrent bladder carcinoma was 38.1% (8/21), higher than that of the primary bladder carcinoma (23.1%, 9/39), however, not significantly (P > 0.05). Livin may play an essential role in bladder carcinogenesis and serve as a marker for prognosis of bladder carcinoma.