Prognostic significance of L1CAM in ovarian cancer and its role in constitutive NF-κB activation.
BACKGROUND
Overexpression of L1-cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) has been observed for various carcinomas and correlates with poor prognosis and late-stage disease. In vitro, L1CAM enhances proliferation, cell migration, adhesion and chemoresistance. We tested L1CAM and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) expression in tumor samples and ascitic fluid from ovarian carcinoma patients to examine its role as a prognostic marker.


METHODS
We investigated tumor samples and ascitic fluid from 232 serous ovarian carcinoma patients for L1CAM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. L1CAM expression was correlated with pathoclinical parameters and patients' outcome. IL-1β levels were measured in tumor cell lysates. Ovarian cancer cell lines were analyzed for the contribution of L1CAM to IL-1β production and nuclear factor 'kappa-light-chain-enhancer' of activated B-cells (NF-κB) activation.


RESULTS
We observed that L1CAM-expressing tumors show a highly invasive phenotype associated with restricted tumor resectability at primary debulking surgery and increased lymphogenic spread. Soluble L1CAM proved to be a marker for poor progression-free survival and chemoresistance. In ovarian carcinoma cell lines, the specific knock-down of L1CAM reduces IL-1β expression and NF-κB activity.


CONCLUSIONS
L1CAM expression contributes to the invasive and metastatic phenotype of serous ovarian carcinoma. L1CAM expression and shedding in the tumor microenvironment could contribute to enhanced invasion and tumor progression through increased IL-1β production and NF-κB activation.
Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
S
S
Bondong
H
H
Kiefel
T
T
Hielscher
A G
AG
Zeimet
R
R
Zeillinger
D
D
Pils
E
E
Schuster
D C
DC
Castillo-Tong
I
I
Cadron
I
I
Vergote
I
I
Braicu
J
J
Sehouli
S
S
Mahner
M
M
Fogel
P
P
Altevogt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016328:NF-kappa B; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1