[Alterations of mitochondrial DNA in ovarian cancer patients with and without chemotherapy].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the alterations of mitochondrial DNA in ovarian cancer patients with and without chemotherapy.


METHODS
Tumor tissues and their adjacent normal tissues of 9 ovarian cancer patients with chemotherapy and 7 ovarian cancer patients without chemotherapy were collected respectively from November 2002 to August 2003 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The complete mitochondrial DNAs were sequenced and the results were compared with the data in Genbank.


RESULTS
A total of 69 novel polymorphisms and 17 mutations were detected. The mean polymorphisms in patients without chemotherapy were 2.7, whereas those with chemotherapy were 5.6. There was significant difference between them (P = 0.01). In the coding area, the proportion of amino acid changes accounted for 21% and 32% in the two groups induced by polymorphisms. The mutation rates were 5/7 and 5/9 in the two groups respectively and the amino acid changes were 3/4 and 5/5.


CONCLUSIONS
There are more polymorphisms which do not alter the amino acids accordingly in ovarian cancer patients with chemotherapy compared with patients without chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the amount of mutations does not enhance in these patients. It indicates that mitochondrial DNA mutation may be a unique characteristic of tumors.
Shi
Hong-hui
HH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100730, China.
Pan
Ling-ya
LY
Yang
Xiu-yu
XY
Yuan
Ye
Y
Yu
Xiao-dan
XD
D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial