title: Epiregulin as a marker for the initial steps of ovarian cancer development.
abstract: Epiregulin (Ep) was found to be produced in non-cancer ovarian cells in response to gonadotropin stimulation as well in ovarian cancer cells in an autonomous manner. However, there were no systematic follow-up studies of Ep expression in the development of different stages of ovarian cancer. Using specific antibodies to Ep and the indirect immunocytochemistry methods, we found that in normal ovary the staining for Ep was mainly confined to the epithelial cells, while the stromal cells were only occasionally and moderately stained. In contrast in benign serous and mucinous tumors most of the tumor cells showed a clear staining in the cytoplasm. In borderline serous and mucinous tumors the staining was much more intensive, and appear occasionally in aggregated form. In serous, mucinous and endometrioid carcinomas labeling remain high, with more frequent aggregated form. It is suggested that follow-up of the expression of Ep can serve as a reliable early indication of the development of ovarian cancer. Moreover, the cytoplasmic aggregation of Ep may suggest a specific mechanism of the release of this growth factor to the extracellular space in order to exert its autocrine and paracrine effect on the family of the EGF receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. abraham.amsterdam@weizmann.ac.il
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amsterdam
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shezen
authors.forename: Calanit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raanan
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Slilat
authors.forename: Alon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Arie
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prus
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schreiber
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D066260:Epiregulin; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C587880:EREG protein, human; D066260:Epiregulin; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor