Association of cytokeratin and vimentin protein in the genesis of transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder patients

Abstract

The aim of study was to examine the localization and distribution of cytokeratin (CK) and vimentin protein and their association with clinical outcome of the TCC patients. Expression pattern of cytokeratin and vimentin was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in TCC cases and inflammatory lesions. Cytoplasmic expression of CK was noticed in 52.17% of TCC cases and its expression was not observed in inflammatory lesions of bladder specimens. Vimentin showed expression in 69.00% cases of TCC. Significant differences were noticed in expression pattern of CK and vimentin in inflammatory lesion and Transitional Cell Carcinoma cases. Vimentin expression increased with the grade of TCC and this difference was statistically significant whereas expression of CK decreased according to the grade of TCC. Furthermore, it was also observed that expression pattern of vimentin was high in ≥55 years as compared to <55 age group patients and these differences were significant in men as compared to women. Expression pattern of CK did not show any significant relation with age and gender. Therefore, it can be concluded that cytokeratin and vimentin will be helpful markers in the early diagnosis of Transitional Cell Carcinoma/bladder carcinoma.