Proliferative activity of early ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma depends on association with endometriosis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate differences in the biological characteristics of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma based on the presence/absence of endometriosis and tumor proliferative activity.

METHODS:

Stage I ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma patients were divided into groups with and without endometriosis, and immunohistochemical expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was determined in surgical specimens. Then xenograft models of human ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma with or without human ectopic endometrium were created in severe combined immunodeficiency mice, and tumor growth was assessed from the wet weight and the bromodeoxyuridine uptake. Furthermore, a xenograft model of human endometriosis was made with or without ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma and cytokine production was investigated.

RESULTS:

The proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling index was significantly lower in the tumors of patients with endometriosis compared to the tumors of patients without endometriosis. In tumor-bearing mice, the tumor weight and bromodeoxyuridine uptake were both significantly lower when ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma was associated with endometriosis than in its absence. Release of transforming growth factor-beta1 and interleukin-6 from the ectopic human endometrium was greater in the presence of clear cell adenocarcinoma than without it, and transforming growth factor-beta1 levels showed a significant difference.

CONCLUSION:

The proliferative activity of early ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma seems to depend on the association of this cancer with endometriosis. When endometriosis is associated with ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma, there is a change of its cytokine production that may inhibit tumor growth.

• Authors: Shin-Ichi Komiyama, Daisuke Aoki, Yukio Katsuki, Shiro Nozawa
• Journal: European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology (Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol) Vol. 127 Issue 1 Pg. 130-6 (Jul 2006) ISSN: 0301-2115 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 16442693 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Interleukin-6
• Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
• Transforming Growth Factor beta1
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Bromodeoxyuridine

Topics

• Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell (chemistry, complications, pathology, physiopathology)
• Animals
• Bromodeoxyuridine (metabolism)
• Cell Proliferation
• Endometriosis (complications, metabolism, pathology, physiopathology)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Interleukin-6 (analysis)
• Mice
• Mice, SCID
• Neoplasm Staging
• Ovarian Neoplasms (chemistry, complications, pathology, physiopathology)
• Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (analysis)
• Transforming Growth Factor beta1 (analysis)
• Transplantation, Heterologous
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (analysis)