Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor (COUP-TF): an orphan steroid receptor with a specific pattern of differential expression in human ovarian cancer cell lines.
The possible role of a novel steroid receptor in ovarian malignancy was investigated. The evolutionarily conserved orphan steroid receptor COUP-TF (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor) was originally identified as a protein interacting with an upstream promoter element of the chicken ovalbumin gene. The human receptor protein was purified from a cervical cancer cell line. An immunocytochemical technique for the visualization of COUP-TF was developed using a specific polyclonal rabbit antibody. Four established ovarian cancer cell lines were evaluated. The patterns of COUP-TF expression were compared to the staining intensities of immunocytochemical assays for estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), aromatase, and HER2/neu. A comparison of the ovarian cancer cell lines showed differential expression of COUP-TF in the nucleus. The pattern of COUP-TF expression did not follow the profile of any of the other four variables. In agreement with transfection experiments showing reduction of activity of other steroid receptors by elevated COUP-TF levels, high COUP-TF expression correlated with low ER activity also in native ovarian cancer cells. These data represent the first reported evidence that COUP-TF-like proteins may play a role in the metabolism and possibly in the process of dedifferentiation of human ovarian cancer.
Kieback
D G
DG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulm, Germany.
Runnebaum
I B
IB
Moebus
V J
VJ
Kreienberg
R
R
McCamant
S K
SK
Edwards
C L
CL
Jones
L A
LA
Tsai
M J
MJ
O'Malley
B W
BW
D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D051838:COUP Transcription Factor I; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D001141:Aromatase; D051838:COUP Transcription Factor I; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D014157:Transcription Factors; C497589:NR2F1 protein, human