METANESTIN, A GLYCOPROTEIN WITH METASTASIS-ASSOCIATED EXPRESSION IN TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE URINARY-BLADDER

A 60-kDa glycoprotein named metanestin was identified by molecular clo ning. The glycoprotein had a twice-repeated motif of Pro-Gly-Pro-Gly a nd carried metastasis-associated carbohydrate epitopes. The antibody t o the protein portion of metanestin strongly reacted with lymph-node m etastasis of transitional-cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, but t he reactivity to the primary tumor was generally weaker and the normal urothelium was scarcely reactive. Thus both metanestin and the carboh ydrate on it showed metastasis-associated expression. In addition, we identified a 100-kDa glycoprotein with a 4-times-repeated motif of Pro -Ala-Pro-Ala. The antibody to the 100-kDa glycoprotein showed reactivi ty similar to that to metanestin. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc,.