A Possible Inhibitory Role of Sialic Acid on MUC1 in Peritoneal Dissemination of Clear Cell-Type Ovarian Cancer Cells.

The role of sialic acids on MUC1 in peritoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer cells was investigated. A human ovarian carcinoma cell line, ES-2, was transfected with full-length MUC1 containing 22 or 42 tandem repeats. These transfectants were less adherent to monolayers of patient-derived mesothelial cells than ES-2/mock transfectants.

The significance of lymphatic space invasion and its association with vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in ovarian cancer.

The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of lymphatic space invasion (LSI) and tumor VEGF-C expression in the lymphatic spread of ovarian cancer. By performing immunostaining using human ovarian cancer specimens, we first investigated the association between the extent of LSI and tumor VEGF-C expression, tumor lymphangiogenesis, or the lymphatic metastasis. Moreover, by performing in vitro and in vivo experiments, we elucidated the role of VEGF-C in tumor lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis as well as its role as a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.

Cell surface expression of hyaluronan on human ovarian cancer cells inversely correlates with their adhesion to peritoneal mesothelial cells.

Eight of 15 human ovarian carcinoma cell lines were shown to express high levels of hyaluronan (HA) on their surfaces. The role of cell surface HA in its adhesion to mesothelial cells, which is potentially involved in peritoneal dissemination, was evaluated. Three human ovarian carcinoma cell lines, ES-2, MH, and KF cells, were repeatedly sorted into variant cell lines with high levels of cell surface HA (ES-2/HA+7, MH/HA+7, and KF/HA+7) and with low cell surface HA (ES-2/HA-7, MH/HA-7, and KF/HA-7).

Combination of abducens nerve palsy and ipsilateral postganglionic Horner syndrome as an initial manifestation of uterine cervical cancer.

A 74-year-old woman presented with abducens nerve palsy, postganglionic Horner syndrome and sensory disturbance in the territory of the ophthalmic nerve on the left side. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a gadolinium-enhanced lesion within the left cavernous sinus. Thereafter, uterine cervical cancer was detected as the origin of this intra-cavernous sinus metastasis.

Stage-specific effect of inhibition of autophagy on chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity.

Anticancer therapies can induce autophagy in tumor cells and the role of autophagy in these cells may depend on the type of tumor, the stage of tumorigenesis, and the nature and extent of the insult. Appropriate modification of autophagy, that is, suppression of cell-protective autophagy or enhancement of cell-killing autophagy could augment cytotoxicity caused by anticancer therapy. Imatinib mesylate is an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases and is used for the therapy of patients with tumors including leukemias, but is not effective as a monotherapy for malignant glioma.

Inhibition of autophagy at a late stage enhances imatinib-induced cytotoxicity in human malignant glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas are common primary tumors of the central nervous system. The prognosis of patients with malignant glioma is poor in spite of current intensive therapy and thus novel therapeutic modalities are necessary. Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is effective in the therapy of tumors including leukemias but not as a monotherapy for malignant glioma.

Monitoring autophagy in glioblastoma with antibody against isoform B of human microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3.

Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved response to stress, has recently been implicated in cancer initiation and progression, but the detailed mechanisms and functions have not yet been fully elucidated. One major obstacle to our understanding is lack of an efficient and robust method to specifically monitor autophagic cells in cancer specimens. To identify molecular events associated with autophagy, we performed cDNA microarray analysis of autophagic glioblastoma cell lines.

Biological and therapeutic significance of MUC1 with sialoglycans in clear cell adenocarcinoma of the ovary.

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) MY.1E12 was applied to detect MUC1 with sialylated glycans in a total of 55 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded surgical specimens of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinomas. A reverse correlation between the binding levels of this mAb and patient survival was demonstrated.

Expression of NEU3 (plasma membrane-associated sialidase) in clear cell adenocarcinoma of the ovary: its relationship with T factor of pTNM classification.

Cell surface carbohydrate expression strongly influences the biological characteristics of cancer cells. Especially, it is known that the change of sialic acid expression could be related to the invasive and metastatic potentials of tumors. This study aimed to investigate sialidase expression of ovarian cancer cells and to evaluate the relationship between plasma membrane-associated sialidase (NEU3) expression and various clinicopathological factors in ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma patients.

Establishment and characterization of the RMG-V cell line from human ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma.

A cell line, designated as RMG-V, was established from a patient with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the ovary. The cell line has grown without interruption and has been propagated continuously by serial passaging (more than 36 times) over 5 years. The cells are spindle-shaped, display neoplastic and pleomorphic features, and grow in a jigsaw puzzle-like arrangement while forming monolayers without contact inhibition.

HMOCC-1, a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits adhesion of ovarian cancer cells to human mesothelial cells.

Objectives: Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most common gynecologic cancers and shows the worst prognosis since current therapies are not sufficiently effective at achieving and maintaining remission. To develop new treatment, a monoclonal antibody recognizing human ovarian cancer cells was raised in KM mice.

Methods: A human monoclonal antibody targeting RMG-I (an ovarian carcinoma cell line) was established with hybridomas of myeloma cells and spleen cells from KM mice.