EXPRESSION OF A CELL-SURFACE ANTIGEN RECOGNIZED BY THE MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY AUA1 IN BLADDER-CARCINOMA - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

The expression of a cell surface antigen recognized by the epithelium- specific, tumor-associated monoclonal antibody (Moab) AUA1 has been st udied in 22 cases of normal urothelium, 7 cases of dysplastic urotheli um and 86 cases of transitional cell carcinoma. Tissue specimens were stained with the conventional hematoxylin-eosin technique as well as w ith the indirect immunoperoxidase technique using Moab AUA1. Results s howed that: (a) Moab AUA1 reacts mainly with cells of high or intermed iate grade transitional cell carcinoma and with a restricted number of normal urothelial cells, and (b) antigenic heterogeneity exists betwe en tumors of the same grade and within the same tumor.