A comprehensive protein resource for the study of bladder cancer: http ://biobase.dk/cgi-bin/celis

In our laboratories we are exploring the possibility of using proteome expr ession profiles of fresh bladder tumors (transitional cell carcinomas, TCCs ; squamous cell carcinomas, SCCs) and random biopsies as fingerprints to su bclassify histopathological types and as a starting point to search for pro tein markers that may form the basis for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatmen t. Ultimately, the goal of these studies is to identity signaling pathways and components that are affected at various stages of bladder cancer progre ssion and that may provide novel leads in drug discovery. Here we present o ur ongoing efforts to establish comprehensive two-dimensional polyacrylamid e gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) databases of TCCs and SCCs which are being constructed based on the proteomic and immunohistochemical analysis of hun dreds of fresh tumors, random biopsies and cystectomies received shortly af ter operation (http://biobase.dk/cgi-bin/celis).