Histologic type, organ of origin, and Wnt pathway status: effect on gene expression in ovarian and uterine carcinomas.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Ovarian and uterine carcinomas manifest several differentiation patterns resembling those seen in nonneoplastic epithelia of the gynecologic tract. Specific oncogene and tumor suppressor gene defects have been associated with particular differentiation patterns in carcinomas arising in either the uterus or ovary. For instance, ovarian and uterine carcinomas with endometrioid differentiation frequently show beta-catenin mutations. Whereas type of differentiation is considered in the treatment of uterine carcinomas, it does not presently contribute to decisions about treatment of ovarian carcinomas. A widely accepted view is that the accumulation of specific gene defects and gene expression changes underlies phenotypic traits of cancers, including their response to treatment.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

Using oligonucleotide microarrays to assess gene expression in 103 primary ovarian and uterine carcinomas, we sought to address whether organ of origin or type of differentiation (histotype; endometrioid versus serous) had a more substantial effect on gene expression patterns.

RESULTS:

We found that effects on gene expression due to organ of origin and histotype are similar in magnitude and are parallel in that organ effects are similar in the two histotypes and histotype effects are similar in the two organs. In addition, ovarian and uterine endometrioid adenocarcinomas with beta-catenin defects show a common gene expression signature largely distinct from that seen in tumors lacking such defects.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results illustrate how organ of origin, type of differentiation, and specific molecular defects all contribute to gene expression in the most common types of ovarian and uterine cancers. The findings also imply gene expression data will be of value for stratifying ovarian cancer patients for new treatment approaches.

• Authors: Kerby A Shedden, Malti P Kshirsagar, Donald R Schwartz, Rong Wu, Hongfeng Yu, David E Misek, Samir Hanash, Hidetaka Katabuchi, Lora Hedrick Ellenson, Eric R Fearon, Kathleen R Cho
• Journal: Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Clin Cancer Res) Vol. 11 Issue 6 Pg. 2123-31 (Mar 15 2005) ISSN: 1078-0432 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15788657 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• CTNNB1 protein, human
• Cytoskeletal Proteins
• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
• Trans-Activators
• Wnt Proteins
• beta Catenin

Topics

• Cell Differentiation
• Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Cytoskeletal Proteins
• Endometrial Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• Humans
• Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins (genetics)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
• Ovarian Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Signal Transduction
• Trans-Activators
• Uterine Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Wnt Proteins
• beta Catenin