Our data indicate that bladder cancer antigen may be a more potent diagnostic marker for bladder cancer than NMP22 and the BTA stat test based on the higher sensitivity for detecting low stage and low grade tumors, and the higher specificity. The contribution of these tests for detection of bladder cancer should still be considered adjunctive to cystoscopy.

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Objective. In view of the critical importance of the CD28-CD8O (B7/BB1) costimulatory pathway in antigen-specific T cell activation and clonal expansion, we examined CD28 surface molecule expression in vivo, and T cell receptodCD3-mediated and B7/BBlcostimulated T cell proliferation in vitro, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods. Two-color immunofluorescence analyses of peripheral blood and synovial fluid-derived T cells, as well as 3H-thymidine incorporation assays, were performed.Results. In the peripheral blood of 31 patients with active, untreated RA, a mean of 91% (range 48-100%) of CD4+ and 46% (range 13432%) of CD8+ T cell subsets were CD28+, which was not significantly lower than normal. Although an overall decrease in the number of T cells was not observed, the numbers of CD28+CD8+ T cells were significantly lower in RA patients (mean 2331~1, versus 292/pI in controls), and this decrease was more pronounced in patients with severe disease (mean 172/pI).