Co-expression of Lewis y antigen with human epididymis protein 4 in ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The main aims of this study were to explore the molecular structural relationship between Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and Lewis y antigen by determining their expression patterns and clinical significance in ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

METHODS:

The structural relationship between HE4 and Lewis y antigen was examined using immunoprecipitation and confocal laser scanning microscopy. HE4 and Lewis y were detected in tissues from malignant (53 cases), borderline (27 cases), benign (15 cases) and normal ovarian tissues (15 cases) using immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTS:

HE4 was present in ovarian cancer, benign tumor tissues, ovarian carcinoma cells, and culture medium, and contained Lewis y antigen. Moreover, expression of Lewis y antigen in HE4 from ovarian cancer was higher than that from benign tumor (P<0.05). HE4 possibly exists as two protein isoforms, both containing Lewis y antigen. Our immunohistochemistry data revealed significantly higher positive expression rates of HE4 in malignant ovarian tissues, compared to benign tumor and normal tissue (P<0.05), similar to Lewis y antigen levels in ovarian cancer (P<0.05). Notably, tissues displaying marked expression of HE4 simultaneously expressed high levels of Lewis y antigen. A linear correlation between the expression patterns of HE4 and Lewis y antigen was evident. Consistently, double-labeling immunofluorescence experiments illustrated co-localization of HE4 and Lewis y antigen within the same area.

CONCLUSIONS:

HE4 contains Lewis y antigen. Our results further demonstrate a close correlation between the expression levels of the two antigens, which are significantly high in ovarian cancer.

• Authors: Huiyu Zhuang, Jian Gao, Zhenhua Hu, Juanjuan Liu, Dawo Liu, Bei Lin
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 8 Issue 7 Pg. e68994 ( 2013) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23894390 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Lewis Blood Group Antigens
• Lewis Y antigen
• Proteins
• WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
• WFDC2 protein, human

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Lewis Blood Group Antigens (metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial (metabolism, pathology)
• Ovarian Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)
• Ovary (pathology)
• Proteins (metabolism)
• WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2
• Young Adult