Expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-alpha, -beta, and -gamma in ovarian carcinoma effusions is associated with poor chemoresponse and shorter survival.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors regulate lipid metabolism, affecting inflammation and cancer. The present study analyzed the anatomical site-related expression and prognostic role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors in ovarian carcinoma. Fresh-frozen effusions (n = 79), primary carcinomas (n = 44), and solid metastases (n = 16) were studied for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha, -beta, and -gamma messenger RNA expression using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is more frequently expressed in breast compared to other metastatic adenocarcinomas in effusions.

This objective of this study was to investigate the expression of chemokine receptors in tumor cells and leukocytes in breast carcinoma effusions. The expression of leukocyte markers (CD3/4/8/14/16/19) and chemokine receptors (CXCR1/4, CCR2/5/7) was studied in 21 breast carcinoma effusions using flow cytometry. Breast carcinoma cells expressed CXCR4 in 7/21 (33%) effusions, with less frequent expression of CXCR1, CCR5, and CCR7.

Biological characteristics of cancers involving the serosal cavities.

The presence of cancer cells in effusions within the serosal (peritoneal, pleural, and pericardial) cavities is a clinical manifestation of advanced-stage cancer and is associated with poor survival. Tumor cells in effusions most frequently originate from primary carcinomas of the ovary, breast, and lung, and from malignant mesothelioma, a native tumor of this anatomic site. Unlike the majority of solid tumors, particularly at the primary site, cancer cells in effusions are not amenable to surgical removal and failure in their eradication is one of the main causes of treatment failure.

Expression of the chromatin remodeling factor Rsf-1 is down-regulated in breast carcinoma effusions.

We recently identified Rsf-1, a chromatin-remodeling gene, as a potential oncogene that is frequently amplified and overexpressed in ovarian serous carcinoma, and demonstrated that its expression in carcinoma cells in effusions is associated with poor prognosis. In the present study, we assessed the clinical significance of Rsf-1 overexpression in breast carcinoma effusions. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 47 effusions were analyzed for Rsf-1 expression by immunohistochemistry.

MUC4 is upregulated in ovarian carcinoma effusions and differentiates carcinoma cells from mesothelial cells.

Using gene expression arrays, we recently showed that MUC4 expression is significantly higher in ovarian/primary peritoneal serous carcinoma (OC/PPC) compared to diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma (DMPM). In the present study, we analyzed the anatomic site-related expression of MUC4 in OC/PPC and studied its prognostic role. We additionally studied the ability of MUC4 to differentiate between OC/PPC and reactive mesothelial cells (RMC).

Anatomic site-related expression of cancer-associated molecules in ovarian carcinoma.

Ovarian cancer presents as disseminated disease in the majority of cases. Tumor metastasis to the peritoneal and/or pleural cavity is evident in two-thirds of cases at diagnosis and relapse is most often detected at this anatomic site. Despite the fact that the primary tumor is amenable to surgical removal in the majority of cases, ovarian cancer research, including the evaluation of therapeutic targets, has concentrated on primary disease.

Kallikrein 4 is expressed in malignant mesothelioma--further evidence for the histogenetic link between mesothelial and epithelial cells.

The objective of this study was to analyze Kallikrein 4 protein (hK4) expression in effusions and solid tumors of patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma (MM) and compare hK4 expression in MM with that in breast and ovarian adenocarcinomas. Sections from 65 MM (21 effusions, 44 solid tumors) and 63 breast carcinomas (28 effusions, 35 solid tumors) were stained for hK4 using immunohistochemistry. Results were compared with our previously published data for 284 ovarian carcinomas (181 effusions, 103 solid tumors).

Gene expression signatures differentiate ovarian/peritoneal serous carcinoma from diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.

Purpose: Ovarian/primary peritoneal serous carcinoma (OC/PPC) and diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma (DMPM) are highly aggressive tumors that are closely related morphologically and histogenetically. It remains unclear whether both tumors are molecularly distinct neoplasms. The current study compared global gene expression patterns in OC/PPC and DMPM.

The biological differences between ovarian serous carcinoma and diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma.

Recent improvements in immunohistochemistry panels used for differentiating ovarian serous carcinoma/primary peritoneal carcinoma (OC/PPC) from diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) have resulted in improved diagnostic rates for these tumors in both cytological and histological material. However, little is known about the biological characteristics that differentiate these two cancer types. We performed a comparative analysis of cancer-associated molecule expression data for a cohort consisting of up to 270 serous OC/PPC specimens (only peritoneal lesions) and 32 peritoneal MM.

Heparanase expression correlates with poor survival in metastatic ovarian carcinoma.

Objective: To analyze the expression of Heparanase, an enzyme involved in cancer metastasis and angiogenesis, in ovarian and breast carcinoma cells in effusions.

Methods: Heparanase protein expression was analyzed in malignant effusions from ovarian (=200) and breast (=41) carcinoma patients using immunocytochemistry. The levels of secreted heparanase were analyzed in 45 effusion supernatants using a newly established ELISA test.

Expression of the chromatin remodeling factor Rsf-1 is upregulated in ovarian carcinoma effusions and predicts poor survival.

Objective: We recently identified Rsf-1, a chromatin remodeling gene, as a potential oncogene that is frequently amplified and overexpressed in ovarian serous carcinoma. However, its clinical role in ovarian cancer effusions is not clear. In the present study, we assessed the clinical significance of Rsf-1 overexpression in ovarian carcinoma effusions.

The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) p38 and JNK are markers of tumor progression in breast carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) in breast carcinoma effusions and to analyze its relationship to anatomic site and clinical parameters.

Methods: Activated MAPK (p-ERK, p-JNK, and p-p38) expression was studied in 42 effusions and 51 corresponding solid tumors (23 primary, 28 metastases) using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Hormone receptor and HER2 status, proliferation (Ki-67), and apoptosis (p85-PARP fragment) were assessed.