Cripto expression in human urological tumors

The expression of cripto, a novel transforming gene of the epidermal growth factor superfamily, was immunohistochemically examined in 20 cases of urinary bladder, one ureter, three renal pelvic, 18 kidney, nine prostate, three adrenal and four testicular tumors. Three cases of urinary bladder carcinomas, two of grade 2 and one of grade 3 transitional cell carcinoma which were T1a and T3b, and INF β and INF γ, respectively, showed positive binding of specific antibody, along with one cortical carcinoma of the adrenal gland positive staining. None of the ureter, renal pelvic, kidney, prostate or testicular tumors showed positive staining. These results indicate that cripto is not frequently expressed in urological tumors.