Aurora-B protein expression is linked to initial response to taxane-based first-line chemotherapy in stage III ovarian carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Aurora kinases are central to cell proliferation and considered to be prognostic/predictive markers and therapeutic targets for epithelial cancers. Here, the prognostic/predictive value of Aurora-B protein expression was evaluated in patients with serous, FIGO stage III ovarian carcinomas treated with taxane- or platinum-based first-line chemotherapy (1st-CTx).


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarrays, including 80 ovarian carcinomas and 18 non-neoplastic ovaries, previously characterised for Aurora-A protein expression. None or marginal (score 0+1), moderate (score 2) and strong (score 3) Aurora-B protein expression was correlated with clinico-pathological parameters as well as recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS).


RESULTS
While non-neoplastic ovaries were negative for Aurora-B, almost all (79/80; 99%) ovarian carcinomas exhibited Aurora-B positive tumour cells, with score 1 in 41/80 (51%), score 2 in 23/80 (29%) and score 3 in 15/80 (19%) cases. Aurora-B and Aurora-A protein expression correlated significantly (p=0.002). In optimal debulked patients, Aurora-B protein expression was associated with RFS (p=0.011, n=53) and marginally with OS (p=0.460; n=53). Moreover, Aurora-B protein expression was predictive for RFS of optimal debulked patients with taxane-based (p=0.006; n=32), but not with platinum-based (p=0.720; n=20) 1st-CTx. Aurora-B protein expression was not linked to OS in optimal debulked patients with either of the two 1st-CTx.


CONCLUSIONS
Aurora-B protein expression frequently occurs in serous, FIGO stage III ovarian carcinomas, making it a 'drugable' molecular target in the majority of ovarian carcinoma patients. Moreover, Aurora-B protein expression is predictive for initial response to taxane-based 1st-CTx in optimal debulked, late stage ovarian carcinoma patients.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.
S
S
Beussel
A
A
Hasenburg
L
L
Bogatyreva
D
D
Hauschke
M
M
Werner
S
S
Lassmann
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D043823:Taxoids; C576921:AURKB protein, human; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases