title: Increased expression of neuropilin 1 is associated with epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which interacts with vascular endothelial growth factor to prevent tumor cell apoptosis and to regulate angiogenesis. However, the precise role of NRP1 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to determine the association between NRP1 and EOC. The expression of NRP1 in ovarian cancer and normal ovarian epithelial tissues was investigated by immunofluorescence, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. The association between the expression of NRP1 with the development of ovarian cancer, clinicopathological characteristics and survival were also analyzed. The results from immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis demonstrated that NRP1 exhibited significant upregulation in EOC compared with normal ovarian epithelial specimens (P<0.05). The positive expression of NRP1 was higher in cancer tissues at an advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, and in cancer tissues with lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis compared with that in cancer tissues without lymph node or distant metastasis (P<0.05). Higher NRP1 expression strongly predicted a shorter survival time (P<0.001). The present findings suggested that increased NRP1 expression may be associated with the development of EOC. Therefore, NRP1 could be used as a valuable prognostic marker as well as a potential molecular therapy target for ovarian cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Feiran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226019, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D039942:Neuropilin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D039942:Neuropilin-1