Assess the expression of ubiquitin specific protease USP2a for bladder cancer diagnosis

Abstract

Background: Given that a deubiquitinating enzyme, ubiquitin-specific protease 2a (USP2a), regulates ubiquitination, trafficking, and degradation of EGFR, which plays a critical role in bladder cancer, in this study, we aimed to quantify the USP2a gene expression, and to determine the possibility that USP2a can be used for bladder cancer diagnosis. Methods: Using two independent cohorts (cohort 1, n∈=∈339 in total; cohort 2, n∈=∈140 in total) consisting of human bladder tissues from BC patients and normal controls, we analyzed the gene expression levels of USP2a. A quantitative real-time PCR amplification was performed using a Rotor Gene 6000 instrument to quantify the expression of USP2a mRNA. Results: A comparison of 305 bladder cancers and 34 age-matched controls showed an 81.4 % reduction in USP2a expression in bladder cancers as compared to normal bladder tissues (p∈