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Expression of MUC1 splice variants in benign and malignant ovarian tumours
Author(s) -
Obermair Andreas,
Schmid Bernd C.,
Packer Leisl M.,
Leodolter Sepp,
Birner Peter,
Ward Bruce G.,
Crandon Alex J.,
McGuckin Michael A.,
Zeillinger Robert
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.10456
Subject(s) - splice , ovarian cancer , malignancy , muc1 , cancer , ovary , cancer research , alternative splicing , biology , pathology , medicine , oncology , gene isoform , gene , genetics
Abstract MUC1 is expressed on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. Nine different splice variants of MUC1 have been described, but no study has reported on the expression of MUC1 isoforms in human ovarian cancer. Our study compares patterns of expression of MUC1 splice variants of malignant and benign ovarian tumours. Ovarian tissue samples were taken from patients with benign ovarian tumours ( n = 34) and from patients who had surgery for primary ( n = 47) or recurrent ( n = 8) ovarian cancer. RT‐PCR for MUC1 splice variants A, B, C, D, X, Y, Z, REP and SEC was performed and their expression compared to clinical and histopathologic parameters. Variants A, D, X, Y and Z were more frequently expressed in malignant than in benign tumours. All primary ovarian cancer cases were positive for variant REP but negative for variant SEC. No significant association of the expression of MUC1 splice variants with the response to chemotherapy or patient survival could be demonstrated. Expression of MUC1 splice variants A, D, X, Y, Z and REP is associated with the presence of malignancy, whereas expression of MUC1/SEC is associated with the absence of malignancy. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.