Description
Abstract
PAX 2, a member of the PAX gene family of developmental transcription factors, is expressed at high levels in the developing undifferentiated cells of urogenital system and is repressed upon terminal differentiation with no expression in normal adult cells. Expression of PAX 2 in Wilms tumour suggests a connection between its role as a developmental gene and tumorigenesis. We studied the expression of PAX 2 using RT-PCR and immunostaining in three established prostate cancer cell lines (LNCaP, DU145 and PC-3) and 3 bladder cancer cell lines (MGHU1, RT112 and HT 1376). PAX 2 was expressed by all 3 prostate cancer cell lines and 2/3 bladder cancer cell lines. These findings tend to implicate a role for PAX 2 in supporting cellular proliferation in the de-differentiated state.
