title: Follicular stimulating hormone enhances Notch 1 expression in SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Notch is known as a transmembranous receptor family with four homologous forms - Notch 1, Notch 2, Notch 3, and Notch 4 and related to cell fate regulation and angiogenesis. The purpose is to investigate the effect of follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) on the Notch 1 expression and proliferation in ovarian cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human ovarian cancer cell line, SK-OV-3 and FSH were used. XTT cell proliferation and cell migration assay were carried out with FSH 100 mIU/mL and Notch 1 siRNA. Western blots and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) were carried out to determine the expression level of the Notch 1 protein and mRNA with FSH treatment in 0, 1, 5, 10, 100, 200, 300 mIU/mL concentrations. Immunofluorescent (IF) stains were performed in SK-OV-3 cell cultures with FSH 100 mIU/mL. Student-t tests were used in statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SK-OV-3 have Notch 1 receptors in their natural status. FSH stimulated SK-OV-3 cells in XTT cell proliferation and cell migration assays and notch 1 siRNA inhibited. The expression level of Notch 1 protein and mRNA were increased in a dose dependent pattern according to FSH concentrations compared to untreated cells. IF stains also showed brighter Notch1 expressions in the FSH treated cells compared to the control cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FSH enhances proliferation & migration and Notch 1 signaling in SK-OV-3 cells. The Notch signaling probably supports one of the cell proliferating mechanisms of FSH in ovarian cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Hoon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitajewski
authors.forename: Chae Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Rhim
authors.forename: Pong Rheem
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jung Bae
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sung Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim