Analysis of cyclin E and CDK2 in ovarian cancer: gene amplification and RNA overexpression.
Cyclins and their associated kinases (cdks) play a key role in controlling the cell cycle, a process whose disregulation can potentially lead to uncontrolled cell growth and hence to cancer. We have studied the role of both cyclin E and its associated kinase cdk2 in ovarian cancer. Primary, metastatic, recurrent and benign ovarian tumors were screened for cyclin E and cdk2 gene amplification. Cyclin E was shown to be amplified in 21% and cdk2 in 6.4% of the cases analyzed. Cyclin E and cdk2 RNA expression levels were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis in a partially overlapping series of samples and compared to the expression levels of normal ovarian surface epithelial cells. Cyclin E RNA was overexpressed in 29.5% and cdk2 in 6.5% of ovarian tumors tested. We determined that in most cases gene amplification leads to higher RNA levels for cyclin E and that the overall levels of cyclin E and cdk2 RNA were correlated. We hypothesize that cyclin E and cdk2 are, in part co-regulated and that they may concur to ovarian tumor development.
Marone
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Scambia
G
G
Giannitelli
C
C
Ferrandina
G
G
Masciullo
V
V
Bellacosa
A
A
Benedetti-Panici
P
P
Mancuso
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000235:genetics*; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*
D019927:Cyclin E; D012313:RNA; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases