Overexpression and immunosuppressive functions of transforming growth factor 1, vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-10 in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objective: Transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) may be critical cytokines in the microenvironment of a tumor, playing roles in immune suppression. This study was conducted to elucidate the roles and immunosuppressive functions of these cytokines in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

Methods: The expression levels of TGF-β1, VEGF and IL-10 in malignant tissue were evaluated by immune- histochemistry and compared with corresponding borderline, benign, and tumor-free tissues.

[Expression and promotor methylation of p73 gene in ovarian epithelial tumors].

Objective: To investigate the expression and promoter methylation status of p73 gene in ovarian epithelial tumors and their clinicopathological correlations.

Methods: Tissue microarrays (TMA) consisting of 68 ovarian cancers, 37 ovarian borderline tumors and 21 ovarian benign tumors were constructed. p73 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry (EnVision method).

[Expression and significance of microRNAs in the p53 pathway in ovarian cancer cells and serous ovarian cancer tissues].

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether miR-449a, miR-449b and miR-192 family microRNAs play the same roles in p53 pathway as miR-34 family in ovarian cancer.

Methods: Wild-type p53 ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780 cells were treated with genotoxic agent adriamycin. The reactivation of p53 was detected by Western blot.

Effect of human epididymis protein 4 gene silencing on the malignant phenotype in ovarian cancer.

Background: Human epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) has been proved to be a promising novel biomarker for the detection of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Compared with CA125, HE4 assay demonstrated an improved ability to discriminate between pelvic mass with malignant and benign disease. Though it is well known that HE4 is overexpressed in ovarian cancer, however, the role of HE4 in the carcinogenesis and progression of ovarian cancer remains unkown.

[Measurement of serum human epididymis secretory protein 4 combined with CA125 assay in differential diagnosis of endometriosis cyst and ovarian benign and malignant tumors].

Objective: To investigate the value of human epididymis secretory protein 4(HE4) combined with CA125 assay in differential diagnosis of endometriosis cyst and ovarian malignant tumor.

Methods: The level of HE4 and CA125 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum specimens of 46 cases in endometriosis cyst group, 36 cases in malignant ovarian tumor group, 60 cases in benign ovarian diseases and 50 women in healthy women group. Those results were shown with median level.

Screening for genes associated with ovarian cancer prognosis.

Background: Human epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3.ip1 is more invasive and metastatic compared with its parental line SKOV3. A total of 17 000 human genome complementary DNA microarrays were used to compare the gene expression patterns of the two cell lines.

[The values of serum human epididymis secretory protein 4 and CA(125) assay in the diagnosis of ovarian malignancy].

Objective: To evaluate the value of human epididymis secretory protein 4 (HE4) and CA(125) in the diagnosis of ovarian malignancy.

Methods: HE4 and CA(125) in the serum specimens of malignant ovarian tumor group (30 cases), benign ovarian diseases (110 cases; 45 benign ovarian tumor, 57 endometriotic diseases and 8 pelvic inflammation were included) and healthy women group (137 cases) were assayed double blindly. The levels and the diagnosis efficiency of the HE4 and CA(125) were analyzed.

[Identification of T cell epitopes from ovarian cancer associated anti-idiotype antibody].

Objective: To identify the T cell epitopes from ovarian cancer associated anti-idiotypic antibody 6B11 in order to explore the molecular basis of 6B11 induced cellular immune responses against ovarian cancer.

Methods: Potential human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A0201 ligands were predicted by using SYFPEITHI algorithm and tested by the T2 binding assay for screening of HLA-A2 binding peptides from 6B11 complimentary determining region (CDR). Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) to 6B11 or peptides were generated by 3 rounds of in vitro stimulation with 6B11 or peptide-pulsed dendritic cells (DC), and then tested by (51)Cr-release assay to ascertain the CTL epitope of 6B11.

[Effect of reduced expression of Her2 by RNA interference on the biological characters of ovarian carcinoma cells].

Objective: To observe the effects of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Her2 on its gene expression when the shRNA was stably transfected into human ovarian cell lines, SKOV3 and SKOV3.ip1, which have different extent of malignancy and investigate the changes of the biological characters of the two cell lines after the stable transfection.

Methods: The plasmids expressing shRNA targeting Her2 gene were transfected into SKOV3 and SKOV3.

[Specific immune cell therapy against ovarian cancer in vivo and in vitro].

Background & Objective: 6B11minibody (6B11mini), an anti-idiotypic vaccine against human ovarian cancer, has been proven to induce specific humoral and cellular immunity against ovarian cancer in vivo and in vitro. This study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of using 6B11mini as an antigen to treat ovarian cancer.

Methods: After being loaded with purified 6B11mini, dendritic cells (DCs) were co-cultured with peripheral blood mononucleocytes (PBMNC) and stimulated by various cytokines, including CD3 monoclonal antibody,interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, to obtain 6B11mini-ovarian-cytokine-induced-killer cells (6B11-O-CIK).

[Construction and utilization of the prognostic model of serous ovarian adenocarcinoma].

Objective: To analyze the related factors with prognosis in patients with serous ovarian adenocarcinoma and to set up a prognostic model of serous ovarian adenocarcinoma.

Methods: The clinical, pathological and follow-up data of 104 cases with serous ovarian adenocarcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-meier univariate analysis was used to screen the prognostic factors; COX univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the risk coefficient of each factors and different layers in each factor.

[In vitro study of the antitumor immune responses induced by anti-idiotypic minibody vaccine of ovarian cancer].

Objective: To evaluate whether anti-tumor immune response can be induced in vitro with 6B11 anti-idiotypic minibody. and to explore its probability as ovarian cancer vaccine.

Methods: Separated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated and cultured by 6B11 minibody.

[Human pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 expression in ovarian carcinoma and its clinical significance].

Background & Objective: Human pituitary tumor transforming gene 1 (hPTTG1) is a newly identified oncogene. We performed a large-scale screening survey to identify related genes expressed in advanced and poorly differentiated serous ovarian carcinoma using cDNA microarray analysis, and found that hPTTG1 is one of highly up-regulated genes in ovarian carcinoma. This study was to examine hPTTG1 mRNA and protein expression in various epithelial ovarian carcinoma,analyze the relationship of its expression level with FIGO stage and histological grade, and explore the functional role of hPTTG1 in ovarian carcinoma pathogenesis.

[Monitoring novel ovarian carcinoma associated genes using cDNA expression microarray].

Objective: To explore the gene expression pattern of sample of human ovarian carcinoma.

Method: The difference in gene expression between normal and neoplastic human ovarian tissues were investigated, we described the assembly and utilization of a 512 member cDNA microarray.

Result: Thirty-seven genes expressed in ovarian cancer were screened out, 14 genes were up-regulated, 23 genes were down-regulated.