Clinical significance of expression of estrogen receptor alpha and beta mRNAs in ovarian cancers.
Novel human estrogen receptor (ER)-beta was identified in cDNA libraries from human testis. ER-beta specifically expresses in testis, ovary, thymus, spleen, osteoblasts and fetus. ER-beta might not conserve the same physiological functions as does ER-alpha. Therefore, the clinical significance of the expression of ER-alpha and ER-beta mRNAs in ovarian cancers was investigated. The percentage of ER-beta mRNA to ER-alpha mRNA ranged from 1.5 to 10% in normal ovaries. On the other hand, the ratios of ER-beta mRNA to ER-alpha mRNA were in a wide range in ovarian cancers. There was no significant difference in the ratios among ovarian cancers classified according to histological types or clinical stages. In a 48-month survival rate, the patient prognosis in ovarian cancers with a low or high ratio of ER-beta mRNA to ER-alpha mRNA (<1.5 or >10% of ER-beta mRNA to ER-alpha mRNA) was significantly worse than that in ovarian cancers with a medium ratio (>==1.5 to <==10% of ER-beta mRNA to ER-alpha mRNA). In conclusion, the intact synchronized expression of ER-beta mRNA interacting with ER-alpha mRNA might be damaged in some ovarian cancers, which might lead to poor patient prognosis.
Fujimoto
J
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu City, Japan.
Hirose
R
R
Sakaguchi
H
H
Tamaya
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012313:RNA; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
C034477:RNA primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D012313:RNA