Immunolabeling of the Inhibin-βA and -βB Subunit in Normal and Malignant Human Cervical Tissue and Cervical Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Both inhibin-β subunits demonstrated a differential expression in CIN and squamous cancer, suggesting important roles in cervical carcinogenesis. Inhibin-βA might be important during progression of CIN, whereas the inhibin-βB subunit could exert a substantial function during differentiation of cervical carcinomas. Moreover, the synthesis of this subunit in cervical carcinoma cell lines also allows the use of this cell line to elucidates their functions in cervical cancer pathogenesis.

Inhibin-α subunit in normal and malignant human cervical tissue and cervical cancer cell lines

“…Samples of uterine cervical tissue were obtained from 4 premenopausal, non-pregnant patients undergoing hysterectomy for uterine leiomyomata. Additionally, 10 specimens of well-differentiated (G1) squamous cervical cancer and 10 tissue samples of well-differentiated (G1) adenocarcinoma of the cervix of a well-characterized group (9,15,23,24) were obtained from the pathological archives of the First Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.…”

“…Immunofluorescence analysis was performed as previously described (9,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)23,25). Briefly, cells grown on glass coverslips were fixed with acetone for 10 min at room temperature and washed twice with PBS.…”

“…Recently, both inhibin-βA and -βB subunits demonstrated a differential expression in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous cancer, suggesting important roles in cervical carcinogenesis (23). Inhibin-βA appears to be important during the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, while the inhibin-βB subunit may exert a substantial function during differentiation of cervical carcinomas (23). Additionally, we demonstrated a differential expression pattern of inhibin-βA and -βB subunits in normal and malignant glandular epithelial cells, including cervical adenocarcinomas (24).…”

Immunolabelling of the inhibin/activin-βC subunit in normal and malignant human uterine cervical tissue and cervical cancer cell lines

“…substantial function in cervical pathogenesis (11). The inhibin-ßA and -ßB subunits demonstrated a differential expression in CIN and squamous cancer, suggesting important roles in cervical carcinogenesis (22). Inhibin-ßA might be important during progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, while the inhibin-ßB subunit could exert a substantial function during differentiation of cervical carcinomas (22).…”

“…The inhibin/activin-subunits have been detected in normal female reproductive tissue and endocrine tumours (18), including normal and pathological endometrial and placental tissue (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28), suggesting possible roles in cancer proliferation and growth (18,29). While inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A were detected in normal and neoplastic human uterine tissues, including cervical cancer (25), it is still unclear if normal or cancerous cervical epithelial cells as well as cervical cancer cell lines can synthesise the novel inhibin-ßC subunit.…”