Dynamic Change in p63 Protein Expression during Implantation of Urothelial Cancer Clusters.

Although the dissemination of urothelial cancer cells is supposed to be a major cause of the multicentricity of urothelial tumors, the mechanism of implantation has not been well investigated. Here, we found that cancer cell clusters from the urine of patients with urothelial cancer retain the ability to survive, grow, and adhere. By using cell lines and primary cells collected from multiple patients, we demonstrate that △Np63α protein in cancer cell clusters was rapidly decreased through proteasomal degradation when clusters were attached to the matrix, leading to downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of N-cadherin.