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Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Real-Time Monitoring of Aurora kinase A Activation using Conformational FRET Biosensors in Live Cells
Published on: July 30, 2020
Aurora kinase B is an independent protective factor in superficial bladder tumours with a dysfunctional G1 checkpoint
Franck Bruyere1, Niall M Corcoran, Navid Berdjis
1Department of Urology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Objectives:
To investigate the clinical role of Aurora kinases (essential for regulating mitosis) in human bladder pathogenesis, by quantifying Aurora kinase A and B, phospho-Aurora A, and phospho-Rb and p53 in bladder tumours, analysing the correlations between expression and clinicopathological features.
Patients And Methods:
We evaluated levels of Aurora A, B, phospho-Aurora A, phospho-Rb and p53 in 73 superficial bladder tumours using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry, and correlated expression with pathological variables and clinical outcome.
Results:
None of the Aurora proteins, when analysed alone, significantly predicted either tumour recurrence or progression. In tumours with an aberrant G1 checkpoint, assessed by phospho-Rb and p53 status, expression of neither Aurora A nor its phosphorylated form predicted either tumour recurrence or progression. Surprisingly, high expression of Aurora B in tumours with an aberrant G1 checkpoint significantly protected from tumour recurrence. On multivariate analysis, Aurora B was the only significant factor that predicted tumour recurrence in the presence of either phospho-Rb or mutated p53. This difference was not evident in tumours with an intact G1 checkpoint.
Conclusions:
High expression of Aurora B in superficial bladder tumours with an aberrant G1 checkpoint significantly protects patients from tumour recurrence. The potential application of nonspecific Aurora kinase inhibitors in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer might be detrimental.
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