title: NOTCH1, NOTCH3, NOTCH4, and JAG2 protein levels in human endometrial cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Notch signaling is a conserved developmental pathway, which plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and death. Deregulation of Notch pathway has been connected with the carcinogenesis in a variety of cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of the Notch signaling pathway proteins (NOTCH1, 3, 4 and JAG2) in the samples from human endometrial cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The amount of the Notch receptors NOTCH1, 3, 4 and ligand JAG2 protein was determined by Western blot analysis in the samples from stage I endometrial cancer and adjacent nontumor endometrial tissue of 22 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of NOTCH4 receptor was 1.7 times lower in stage I endometrial cancer as compared with the healthy tissue of the same patients (P=0.04). The protein level of ligand JAG2 was significantly reduced by 2.5 times in stage IB endometrial adenocarcinoma samples (P=0.01). It was reduced in the majority of stage IB adenocarcinomas. There were no significant changes in the protein amount of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 receptors comparing stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma and healthy tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduced amount of NOTCH4 and JAG2 proteins and the decreased level of mRNA coding Notch proteins, as reported in our previous studies, supports the notion that Notch pathway has rather tumor-suppressive than oncogenic role in human endometrial cancer cells. It suggests that Notch pathway activation is a potential therapeutic target.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania. Electronic address: ausra.sadauskaite@gf.vu.lt.
authors: Aušra
authors: A
authors: Sasnauskienė
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Violeta
authors: V
authors: Jonušienė
authors: Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Aurelija
authors: A
authors: Krikštaponienė
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania; Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Stasė
authors: S
authors: Butkytė
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Daiva
authors: D
authors: Dabkevičienė
authors: Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Daiva
authors: D
authors: Kanopienė
authors: Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Birutė
authors: B
authors: Kazbarienė
authors: Institute of Oncology, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Janina
authors: J
authors: Didžiapetrienė
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000071656:Receptor, Notch3; D000074562:Receptor, Notch4; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; C499374:NOTCH3 protein, human; C106075:NOTCH4 protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D000071656:Receptor, Notch3; D000074562:Receptor, Notch4; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins
keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Endometrial cancer; Notch signaling proteins