Survivin expression in ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of survivin in benign ovarian tumors, ovarian carcinomas of different stages.


METHODS
We screened the expression of survivin mRNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 114 ovarian tissue samples. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to estimate survivin mRNA levels in the samples with positive survivin expression.


RESULTS
No survivin mRNA was expressed in all normal ovarian specimens, while it appeared in 73% of ovarian carcinomas, 47% of borderline ovarian carcinomas and 19% of benign ovarian tumors. The survivin mRNA expression rate was positively associated with clinical stage (P = 0.026) and differentiation grade (P = 0.049). There was notably statistically significant difference in the survivin mRNA expression rate dependent on different histological types (serous, mucinous, endometrioid, P = 0.008), but not - dependent on lymph node metastasis (P = 0.921) and ascites (P = 0.87). In tissues with positive expression of survivin, we also found that mean survivin mRNA expression levels were higher in ovarian carcinomas than that in benign ovarian tumors and borderline ovarian carcinoma tissues (P < 0.001). Among ovarian carcinomas, the high survivin mRNA expression levels correlated with the clinical stages, differentiation grade, lymph node metastasis, but not - with ascites and histological type.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggest that survivin is associated with progression of ovarian carcinoma.
Liguang
Z
Z
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, PR China.
Peishu
L
L
Hongluan
M
M
Hong
J
J
Rong
W
W
Wachtel
M S
MS
Frezza
E E
EE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018291:Cystadenoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018293:Cystadenoma, Serous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger