ANTIBODY SPECIFIC FOR PARAFIBROMIN, A NEW MARKER OF PARATHYROID CARCINOMA

摘要

Expression of the HRPT2 gene, which encodes parafibromin, is reduced in parathyroid carcinoma as well as in other carcinomas. Antibodies specific for parafibromin are disclosed, along with their use to evaluate levels of parafibromin in tissue samples. Loss of immunoreactivity is a highly selective marker for parathyroid carcinoma, and is a useful marker for kidney and bladder cancer, as well as other carcinomas, and provides the first laboratory test that can serve as a standard for pathological diagnosis of parathyroid cancer.