title: The level of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor is increased in serum of ovarian cancer patients.
abstract: Ascites and serum of patients with ovarian carcinoma contain a soluble form of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). We now report that pro-uPA-Sepharose-purified uPAR from ascites of patients with ovarian carcinoma is the full-length molecule missing the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchor, as determined by its amino acid composition. We next examined the significance of determining serum soluble uPAR (suPAR) levels in ovarian cancer patients using a specific ELISA and compared the results with serum concentrations of CA-125, an established diagnostic marker. Serum from pre- and postoperative ovarian cancer patients was assayed for suPAR and CA-125. The majority of the patients with ovarian cancer had enhanced preoperative serum levels of suPAR compared with healthy controls, but suPAR concentrations decreased after operation. Although uPAR was associated with most ovarian carcinomas, it appeared to be a less specific indicator for ovarian cancer than CA-125. On the other hand, suPAR was more specific for other types of solid tumors. Moreover, we have observed some cases of ovarian cancer that showed increase of suPAR but not of CA-125. The prognostic significance of serum suPAR assay for survival of ovarian carcinoma patients was evaluated using Cox's proportional hazards analysis. Our preliminary data show that high preoperative levels of suPAR were associated with worse survival of the patients, whereas CA-125 had no prognostic implications. This is the first report evaluating the assay of serum suPAR levels in ovarian cancer and analyzing its value as a tumor or prognostic marker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biotechnology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sier
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bizik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bassan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frigerio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Danø
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brünner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blasi
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000097:blood*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D015996:Survival Rate; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator