Stathmin (EP247), RMab

Summary and Explanation

Stathmin 1/oncoprotein 18, also known as STMN1, is a highly conserved 17 kDa protein. Stathmin performs an important function in regulating rapid microtubule remodeling of the cytoskeleton in response to the cell’s needs. Regulation of stathmin is cell cycle dependent and controlled by the cell’s protein kinases in response to specific cell signals. Stathmin can cause uncontrolled cell proliferation when mutated and not functioning properly.

Overexpression of Stathmin has been associated with tumor progression in endometrial carcinomas, ovarian cancer and oral squamous-cell carcinoma . Stathmin has been found to be positive in 29% of CINs with differential expression based on the grade of the lesion as 9% being CIN1, 45% CIN2, and 93% CIN3; whereas, p16 staining of the same cases was positive in 80% of CINs with 71% CIN1, 100% CIN2, and 94% CIN3. Stathmin shows similar sensitivity for CIN3 to anti-p16 (93% vs 94%) although it drops off for CIN2 (73% vs 96%). The specificity of stathmin antibody for both CIN2-3 (94%) and CIN3 (89%) is higher than that of anti-p16 (44% and 39%, respectively). Therefore, Stathmin antibody has major potential as a diagnostic marker in CIN classification over anti-p16 and it is valuable to distinguish CIN3 from the majority of low-grade precursors and negative/reactive cervical biopsies.