[Expression and clinical significance of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin1 in epithelial ovarian cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Some studies have showed that changes of autophagic capacity may be correlated to tumorigenesis and tumor development. This study was to investigate the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and autophagy-related gene Beclin1 in ovarian tumor tissues, and explore their correlations to the tumorigenesis and development of epithelial ovarian carcinoma.


METHODS
Expressions of LC3 and Beclin1 in 25 specimens of benign ovarian tumor, 25 specimens of borderline ovarian tumor, and 75 specimens of epithelial ovarian carcinoma were detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlations of LC3 and Beclin1 expression to the clinicopathologic characteristics of the 75 epithelial ovarian cancer patients were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positive rates of LC3 and Beclin1 were significantly higher in benign and borderline ovarian tumors than in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (100% and 96% vs. 57%, P<0.001; 100% and 84% vs. 57%, P<0.001). The expression of LC3 was associated with FIGO stage and histological grade (P=0.017;0.001). The expression of Beclin1 was related to FIGO stage (P=0.04). The expression of LC3 was not correlated to Beclin1 (P=0.875).


CONCLUSIONS
Expressions of LC3 and Beclin1 are down-regulated in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues. The decrease of autophagic capacity may relate to tumorigenesis and the development of epithelial ovarian cancer.
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, P. R. China.
Yang
Y
Shen
Li-Zhi
LZ
Liang
Ming-Huang
MH
Hong
Ying
Y
Xiong
Mei
M
Wei
Xiao-Feng
XF
Zhu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001343:Autophagy; D000071186:Beclin-1; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000737:chemistry
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins