UPK2
Overview
UPK2 (Uroplakin 2) encodes a member of the uroplakin family that forms the crystalline urothelial plaque along with UPK1A, UPK1B, and UPK3A/3B. In the expanded TCGA bladder cancer analysis, UPK2 is one of the defining high-expression markers of the luminal subtype, reflecting umbrella-cell-like differentiation in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Alterations observed in the corpus
- UPK2 is most highly expressed in the luminal subtype (6% of the 412-tumor expanded TCGA MIBC cohort), together with UPK1A, KRT20, and SNX31, consistent with an umbrella-cell-like differentiated phenotype PMID:28988769.
Cancer types (linked)
- BLCA — highest expression in the luminal mRNA subtype among the five-subtype taxonomy; serves as a co-defining marker of umbrella-cell-like differentiation in muscle-invasive bladder cancer PMID:28988769.
Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity
- High UPK2 expression co-occurs with UPK1A, KRT20, and SNX31 overexpression as a set of umbrella-cell markers that collectively define the luminal subtype PMID:28988769.
Therapeutic relevance
- No direct targeted therapy reported in the corpus. UPK2’s restriction to the luminal subtype positions it as a lineage differentiation marker; optimal therapy for this subtype is not yet defined PMID:28988769.
Open questions
- The optimal therapeutic strategy for the UPK2-high luminal subtype is unresolved; future trials comparing neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs mutation-targeted therapy are proposed by the authors PMID:28988769.
Sources
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