title: IMP3 expression in human ovarian cancer is associated with improved survival.
abstract: The insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein IMP3 plays an important role in embryogenesis and recent reports suggest an involvement in tumorigenesis. Although IMP3 expression has been well studied in mouse and human fetal and adult gonads, its role in ovarian cancer is unknown. We investigated the expression of IMP3 at protein and mRNA levels in a cohort of primary ovarian carcinomas and in 11 ovarian cancer cell lines. Western blot analysis revealed an expression of IMP3 in all ovarian cancer cell lines and immunohistochemistry demonstrated a positive cytoplasmic staining in 32 of 68 carcinomas (47%). In contrast, epithelium of borderline tumors, as well as, benign ovarian lesions and normal ovaries exhibited only weak or no IMP3 expression. In univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis, IMP3 protein expression was significantly associated with better overall survival (P=0.048). To confirm these findings, we further determined IMP3 mRNA expression in 43 ovarian cancer specimens by real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. A significant correlation between protein and mRNA levels (r=0.414, P=0.006), as well as a correlation of IMP3 mRNA expression with patient overall survival (P=0.044), was observed. Our results demonstrate that IMP3 is expressed in a subpopulation of ovarian cancer and a marker of good prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Charité University Hospital Berlin, Germany. aurelia.noske@charite.de
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noske
authors.forename: Areeg
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faggad
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wirtz
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darb-Esfahani
authors.forename: Jalid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sehouli
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sinn
authors.forename: Finn Cilius
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Wilko
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weichert
authors.forename: Ann-Christin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Buckendahl
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Röske
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietel
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denkert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C498780:IGF2BP3 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins