Nuclear expression of Snail1 in borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumours is associated with tumour progression.
BACKGROUND
Transcription factor Snail1 has a central role in induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The aim of the present study was to elucidate the expression of Snail1 protein during epithelial ovarian tumourigenesis and to study the association of Snail1 expression with clinicopathological factors and prognosis.


METHODS
Epithelial and stromal fibroblast-like fusiform cells of 14 normal ovarian samples, 21 benign, 24 borderline and 74 malignant epithelial ovarian tumours were studied for Snail1 protein using immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Nuclei of surface peritoneal cells of normal ovaries (n = 14) were regarded as negative for Snail1. Nuclear expression of Snail1 protein in epithelial ovarian tumours was increased during tumour progression from precursor lesions into carcinomas both in epithelial (p = 0.006) and stromal cells (p = 0.007). Nuclei of benign tumours (n = 21) were negative for Snail1. In borderline tumours (n = 24) occasional positive epithelial cells were found in 2 (8%) samples and in 3 (13%) samples stromal cells were focally positive for Snail1. In carcinomas (n = 74) focal Snail1 staining in epithelial cells was present in 17 (23%) tumours, and in stromal cells in 18 (24%) tumours. Nuclear expression of Snail1 in epithelial or stromal cells was not associated with clinicopathological factors or prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Nuclear Snail1 expression seems to be related to tumour progression, and expression in borderline tumours indicates a role for Snail1 in early epithelial ovarian tumour development. Snail1 also appears to function more generally in tissue remodelling as positive staining was demonstrated in stromal cells.
Tuhkanen
Hanna
H
Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. hanna.tuhkanen@uku.fi
Soini
Ylermi
Y
Kosma
Veli-Matti
VM
Anttila
Maarit
M
Sironen
Reijo
R
Hämäläinen
Kirsi
K
Kukkonen
Laura
L
Virtanen
Ismo
I
Mannermaa
Arto
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009385:Neoplastic Processes; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C000604407:SNAI1 protein, human; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors
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