Identification of New Molecular Biomarkers in Ovarian Cancer Using the Gene Expression Profile

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is a common cause of death among women worldwide. The current diagnostic and prognostic procedures available for the treatment of ovarian cancer are either not specific or are very expensive. Gene expression profiling has proved to be a very effective tool in the exploration of new molecular markers in patients with ovarian cancer, although the link between such markers and patient survival and clinical outcomes is still elusive. We are looking for genes that may function in the development and progression of ovarian cancer. The aim of our study was to evaluate the expression of selected suppressor genes (ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2), proto-oncogenes (KRAS, c-JUN, c-FOS), pro-apoptotic genes (NOXA, PUMA), genes related to chromatin remodeling (MEN1), and genes related to carcinogenesis (NOD2, CHEK2, EGFR). Tissue samples from 30 normal ovaries and 60 ovarian carcinoma tumors were provided for analysis of the gene and protein expression. Gene expression analysis was performed using the real-time PCR method. The protein concentrations from tissue homogenates were determined using the ELISA technique according to the manufacturers’ protocols. An increase in the expression level of mRNA and protein in women with ovarian cancer was observed for KRAS, c-FOS, PUMA, and EGFR. No significant changes in the transcriptional levels we observed for BRCA1, BRCA2, NOD2, or CHEK2. In conclusion, we suggest that KRAS, NOXA, PUMA, c-FOS, and c-JUN may be associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.

Increased risk of ovarian and breast malignancies in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a review article

“…Changes in tumor suppressor gene expression, proto-oncogenes, pro-apoptotic genes, genes related to chromatin remodeling and genes related to carcinogenesis were observed. However, the relationship between these markers and patient survival and clinical outcomes was not observed (40). Another study evaluating the relationship between human epidermal growth factor receptor and clinicopathological characteristics of epithelial ovarian cancer showed that HER2/neu was positive in a quarter of patients, which is significantly associated with cancer marker CA 125 before treatment.…”

The Effect of Vitamin D and Its Analogs in Ovarian Cancer

“…Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is often upregulated in OC, conveying a proliferative advantage to these tumors [43,44]. In vitamin D-sensitive OC cells, 1,25D3 downregulated EGFR expression, reducing their proliferative potential [41].…”

Screening and Identification of a Prognostic Model of Ovarian Cancer by Combination of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data

“…From 1990 to 2019, the net drift rate of ovarian cancer as a cause of death in China was 0.76% (95% CI 0.57–0.95) per year [ 6 ]. A lack of visible clinical manifestations during the early stages of the disease [ 1 , 5 , 7 ] means that ovarian cancer is often not detected early with non-invasive methods, and thus most individuals who are diagnosed with the disease are already in the mid to late stages. As there are few treatment options that can improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients, most patients eventually die from the disease due to disease recurrence and metastasis.…”

“…It would be incredibly useful for ovarian cancer management to have biomarkers that could reliably predict a patient’s outcome [ 7 , 8 ]. As a heterogeneous disease, ovarian cancer contains several distinct subtypes that involve heterogeneous populations of cells and proteins [ 2 , 9 ].…”