CD2-associated protein in human urogenital system and in adult kidney tumours.

We studied expression of CD2-associated protein (CD2AP) in human urogenital system and in adult kidney tumours. In the cortex of normal kidney, CD2AP was expressed in all types of tubules and in the glomeruli. Labelling was more intense in cytokeratin 7- and in Tamm-Horsfall-positive tubules than in proximal tubules. In the medulla, expression was observed in the collecting ducts. Urothelium and the epithelium of prostatic acini, seminal vesicles, seminiferous tubules, epididymal ducts, Fallopian tube, endometrium and endocervix as well as granulosa cells showed moderate to strong CD2AP positivity. In syncytiotrophoblast, the expression was weaker than in cytotrophoblast. Endometrial stroma was negative, but decidualised stroma was weakly positive. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (n=63) showed a weak expression. Type-I papillary RCCs (n=4) and papillary adenomas (n=3) were negative. The epithelium lining the cysts in multilocular cystic RCCs (n=3) and in cystic nephroma (n=1) was strongly positive. Chromophobe RCCs (n=2), oncocytomas (n=3) and urothelial carcinomas (n=2) were moderately positive. The results show that CD2AP displays a specific expression pattern in human urogenital organs and that distinct expression is shown in several types of kidney tumours but not in type-I papillary RCCs or in papillary adenomas.