This gene encodes a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored cell membrane glycoprotein. In addition to being highly expressed in the prostate it is also expressed in the bladder, placenta, colon, kidney, and stomach. This gene is up-regulated in a large proportion of prostate cancers and is also detected in cancers of the bladder and pancreas. This gene includes a polymorphism that results in an upstream start codon in some individuals, this polymorphism is thought to be associated with a risk for certain gastric and bladder cancers. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2010],function:May be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation. Has a cell-proliferation inhibition activity in vitro.,induction:Down-regulated in gastric cancer cells.,polymorphism:Genetic variations in PSCA may influence susceptibility to diffuse-type gastric cancer.,similarity:Contains 1 UPAR/Ly6 domain.,tissue specificity:Highly expressed in prostate (basal, secretory and neuroendocrine epithelium cells). Also found in bladder (transitional epithelium), placenta (trophoblasts), stomach (neuroendocrine cells), colon (neuroendocrine cells) and kidney (collecting ducts). Overexpressed in prostate cancers and expression is correlated with tumor stage, grade and androgen-independence. Highly expressed in prostate cancer bone metastases. Expressed in gastric epithelial cells, mainly in the isthmus (at protein level). Not detected in normal intestinal epithelium (at protein level).,
