title: Estrogen and progesterone receptor subtype expression in normal and malignant ovarian epithelial cell cultures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Epidemiologic data suggest that the malignant transformation of ovarian epithelium may be linked to altered steroid hormone homeostasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Estrogen receptor-alpha, estrogen receptor-beta, progesterone receptor A, and progesterone receptor B messenger RNA and protein expression were evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis in primary cell cultures of human ovarian surface epithelium (n = 23 cultures) and Cedars-Sinai ovarian cancer (n = 23 cultures).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of estrogen receptor-alpha/estrogen receptor-beta messenger RNA expression was 10 times higher in primary ovarian cancer cultures (9.94 +/- 3.90) than in normal ovarian surface epithelium cultures (1.00 +/- 0.16, P =.04). Estrogen receptor-alpha/estrogen receptor-beta protein ratio in primary ovarian cancer cultures (2.13 +/- 0.43) was twice that of normal human ovarian surface epithelium cultures (1.00 +/- 0.13, P =.05). Individual estrogen receptor-alpha and estrogen receptor-beta messenger RNA and protein expression were not significantly different. Progesterone receptor B protein levels in primary ovarian cancer cultures (2.08 +/- 0.42) were twice that of normal surface ovarian epithelium cultures (1.00 +/- 0.10, P =.04), although differences in progesterone receptor B messenger RNA and progesterone receptor A protein expression were not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malignant ovarian epithelial cells demonstrated multiple alterations in the expression of sex steroid hormone receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rae Lynn
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Beth Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Karlan
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C101118:progesterone receptor A; C097314:progesterone receptor B