Immunohistological insight into the correlation between neuropilin-1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in epithelial ovarian cancer.
The mechanism by which neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) induces malignancy in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) is still unknown. This study is the first to demonstrate the relationship between NRP-1 expression and EMT markers vimentin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and Slug. We used tissue microarrays containing the three main subtypes of EOC tumors: serous, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma and endometrioid adenocarcinoma and representative cases retrieved from our pathology archives. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression levels and location of NRP-1 and the aforementioned EMT proteins. NRP-1 was mainly expressed on cancer cells but not in normal ovarian surface epithelium (OSE). The Immunoreactive Scoring (IRS) values revealed that the expression of NRP-1, Slug and E-cadherin in the malignant subtypes of ovarian tissues was significantly higher (5.18 ± 0.64, 4.84 ± 0.7, 4.98 ± 0.68, respectively) than their expression in the normal and benign tissues (1.04 ± 0.29, 0.84 ± 0.68, 1.71 ± 0.66, respectively), with no significant differences among the studied subtypes. Vimentin was expressed in the cancer cell component of 43% of tumors and it was exclusively localized in the stroma of all mucinous tumors. The Spearman's rho value indicated that NRP-1 is positively related to the EMT markers E-cadherin and Slug. This notion might indicate that NRP-1 is a partner in the EMT process in EOC tumors.
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC) sadham@squ.edu.om.
Sirin A I
SA
Adham
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Ibtisam
I
Al Harrasi
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Ibrahim
I
Al Haddabi
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Afrah
A
Al Rashdi
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Shadia
S
Al Sinawi
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Abdullah
A
Al Maniri
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Taher
T
Ba-Omar
Department of Biology, College of Science (SAIA, IAH, TBO) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanDepartment of Pathology, College of Medicine (IAH, AAR, SAS) Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, OmanThe Research Council, Muscat, Oman (AAM)Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada (BLC).
Brenda L
BL
Coomber
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D039942:Neuropilin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D021381:Protein Transport; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; C000604407:SNAI1 protein, human; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D039942:Neuropilin-1
E-cadherin; EMT; OSE; biomarker; neuropilin-1; slug; vimentin