title: AGR2, a mucinous ovarian cancer marker, promotes cell proliferation and migration.
abstract: Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death in women. Early detection of ovarian cancer is essential to decrease mortality. However, the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult due to a lack of clinical symptoms and suitable molecular diagnostic markers. Thus, identification of meaningful tumor biomarkers with potential clinical application is clearly needed. To search for a biomarker for the early detection of ovarian cancer, we identified human anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) from our systematic analysis of paired normal and ovarian tumor tissue cDNA microarray. We noted a marked overexpression of AGR2 mRNA and protein in early stage mucinous ovarian tumors compared to normal ovarian tissues and serous type ovarian tumors by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. To further elucidate the role of AGR2 in ovarian tumorigenesis, stable 2774 human ovarian cancer cell lines overexpressing AGR2 were established. Forced expression of AGR2 in 2774 cells enhanced the growth and migration of ovarian cancer cells. AGR2 protein was detected in the serum of mucinous ovarian cancer patients by Western blot and ELISA analysis. Thus, AGR2 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of mucinous ovarian cancer and an ELISA assay may facilitate the early detection of mucinous ovarian cancer using patient serum.
authors.affiliation: Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoungsook
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hyekyung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Kwangsoo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Junsoo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Mijoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Minwha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Kyusam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun-Ju
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yoon-La
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sang Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Duk-Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Byoung-Gie
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Je-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D009088:Mucoproteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C502296:AGR2 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009088:Mucoproteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011506:Proteins