Intended Use
For In Vitro Diagnostic Use
Summary and Explanation
Musashi-2 (MSI2) is an RNA-binding protein present in the cytoplasm of hematopoietic, neuronal progenitor, and stem cells. Musashi proteins have an RNA-recognition motif used to bind and stabilize mRNA in stem cell populations. MSI2 is also present in blood cells, astrocytes, and the development of reproductive cells in spermatogenesis and oogenesis.
Musashi 2 can indicate the presence of stem cells in tumors of Colorectal, Lung, and Pancreatic Cancers, and in Glioblastoma, Leukemias, and xenografts, where it supports proliferation and prevents apoptosis. It’s RNA-binding ability is increased in Leukemia cells over normal hematopoietic stem cells, and it’s expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia is associated with poor prognosis. MSI2 also has a role in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, such as in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. MSI2-HOXA9 and other fusions/transformations are rare but MSI2 over-expression is found in almost all hematological disorders, and can be up-regulated further resulting in worse prognosis. Studies comparing normal cervical tissues have found that the expression of MSI2 is increased in cervical cancer tissues and may act as a prognostic biomarker in patients with cervical cancer. MSI2 has been found to be significantly upregulated in bladder cancer cells and tissues compared with normal bladder urothelial cells and tissues. IHC analysis has revealed high expression of MSI2 in bladder cancer specimens. It has been demonstrated that MSI2 can induce bladder cancer cell migration and invasion by activating the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, and may be a valuable prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer patients.
Synonyms: musashi 2, anti-musashi 2, mushashi-2, anti-musashi-2, msi2, anti-msi2
