Sigma-2 Receptor Expression in Bovine Papillomavirus-Associated Urinary Bladder Tumours

The expression of sigma-2 receptors was investigated in nine urothelial tumours of the urinary bladder of cattle. Each tumour was associated with the presence of DNA of bovine papillomavirus type-2 (BPV-2) and expression of the E5 viral oncoprotein. Five tumours were classified as low-grade carcinoma on the basis of morphological criteria and calculation of mean nuclear area (MNA) and mean nuclear perimeter (MNP). Four tumours were classified as high-grade carcinoma. Sigma-2 receptors were overexpressed in both types of carcinoma. In control normal bovine bladder tissue the density of receptors (expressed as the B max) was 0.37 pmol/mg of protein. Low-grade carcinomas had a mean B max of 1.37 ± 0.32 pmol/mg of protein (range 1.03–1.86) and in high-grade carcinomas the mean B max was 10.9 ± 2.8 pmol/mg of protein (range 8.2–14). The difference in B max between low- and high-grade carcinomas was statistically significant ( P = 0.0001).