title: Expression of PH Domain Leucine-rich Repeat Protein Phosphatase, Forkhead Homeobox Type O 3a and RAD51, and their Relationships with Clinicopathologic Features and Prognosis in Ovarian Serous Adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ovarian serous adenocarcinoma can be divided into low- and high-grade tumors, which exhibit substantial differences in pathogenesis, clinicopathology, and prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the differences in the PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase (PHLPP), forkhead homeobox type O 3a (FoxO3a), and RAD51 protein expressions, and their associations with prognosis in patients with low- and high-grade ovarian serous adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PHLPP, FoxO3a, and RAD51 protein expressions were examined in 94 high- and 26 low-grade ovarian serous adenocarcinomas by immunohistochemistry. The differences in expression and their relationships with pathological features and prognosis were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In high-grade serous adenocarcinomas, the positive rates of PHLPP and FoxO3a were 24.5% and 26.6%, while in low-grade tumors, they were 23.1% and 26.9%, respectively (P < 0.05 vs. the control specimens; low- vs. high-grade: P > 0.05). The positive rates of RAD51 were 70.2% and 65.4% in high- and low-grade serous adenocarcinomas, respectively (P < 0.05 vs. the control specimens; low- vs. high-grade: P > 0.05). Meanwhile, in high-grade tumors, Stage III/IV tumors and lymph node and omental metastases were significantly associated with lower PHLPP and FoxO3a and higher RAD51 expression. The 5-year survival rates of patients with PHLPP- and FoxO3a-positive high-grade tumors (43.5% and 36.0%) were significantly higher than in patients with PHLPP-negative tumors (5.6% and 7.2%, respectively; P< 0.05). Similarly, the 5-year survival rate of RAD51-positive patients (3.0%) was significantly lower than in negative patients (42.9%; P< 0.05). In low-grade tumors, the PHLPP, FoxO3a, and RAD51 expressions were not significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, omental metastasis, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, or prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormal PHLPP, FoxO3a, and RAD51 protein expressions may be involved in the development of high- and low-grade ovarian serous adenocarcinomas, suggesting common molecular pathways. Decreased PHLPP and FoxO3a and increased RAD51 protein expression may be important molecular markers for poor prognosis, and RAD51 may be an independent prognosis factor, of high-grade, but not low-grade, ovarian serous adenocarcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Chao
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Xue
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecologic Oncology, The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050011, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C499517:FOXO3 protein, human; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; C400601:PHLPP1 protein, human; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases