TY - JOUR
T1 - Apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins in the epithelium of human ovarian tumors
T2 - Immunohistochemical and morphometric studies
AU - Ben-Hur, H.
AU - Gurevich, P.
AU - Huszar, M.
AU - Ben-Arie, A.
AU - Berman, V.
AU - Tendler, Y.
AU - Tchanishev, R.
AU - Zinder, O.
AU - Mor, G.
AU - Zaltsman, Y.
AU - Kohen, F.
AU - Zusman, I.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Background: The origin of malignant ovarian tumors is the subject of considerable controversy, which may be resolved by elucidation of molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis. Therefore we have undertaken the study of apoptosis in these tumors. Methods: Apoptosis and the expression of its related proteins, Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), bcl-2 and p53, in epithelial cells of human ovarian tumors of different histological grades, were determined immunohistochemically and morphometrically. Results: Apoptosis-related proteins were absent from ovarian epithelia of patients afflicted with non-cancerous diseases. In ovarian tumors, the distribution of individual proteins varied, and depended on the grade and type of tumor. Fas and FasL were highly expressed in all tumors, while epithelial cells expressing bcl-2 were abundant in benign tumors, but their numbers significantly dwindled with the progression of malignancy. Cells expressing p53 were found in borderline tumors, and their numbers increased with malignancy, inverse of bcl-2 expression. Apoptotic tumor cells were scarce in borderline tumors and abundant in carcinomas. Grouping apoptosis was found in approximately 60% of the carcinomas. Conclusions: The initial development of ovarian tumors is accompanied by high epithelial expression of Fas, FasL and bcl-2 proteins, while apoptosis and p53 proteins are detected only at later stages of tumorigenesis.
AB - Background: The origin of malignant ovarian tumors is the subject of considerable controversy, which may be resolved by elucidation of molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis. Therefore we have undertaken the study of apoptosis in these tumors. Methods: Apoptosis and the expression of its related proteins, Fas, Fas ligand (FasL), bcl-2 and p53, in epithelial cells of human ovarian tumors of different histological grades, were determined immunohistochemically and morphometrically. Results: Apoptosis-related proteins were absent from ovarian epithelia of patients afflicted with non-cancerous diseases. In ovarian tumors, the distribution of individual proteins varied, and depended on the grade and type of tumor. Fas and FasL were highly expressed in all tumors, while epithelial cells expressing bcl-2 were abundant in benign tumors, but their numbers significantly dwindled with the progression of malignancy. Cells expressing p53 were found in borderline tumors, and their numbers increased with malignancy, inverse of bcl-2 expression. Apoptotic tumor cells were scarce in borderline tumors and abundant in carcinomas. Grouping apoptosis was found in approximately 60% of the carcinomas. Conclusions: The initial development of ovarian tumors is accompanied by high epithelial expression of Fas, FasL and bcl-2 proteins, while apoptosis and p53 proteins are detected only at later stages of tumorigenesis.
KW - Apoptosis
KW - bcl-2
KW - Fas
KW - Fas ligand
KW - Ovarian tumors
KW - p53
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033490947&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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C2 - 10475115
AN - SCOPUS:0033490947
SN - 0392-2936
VL - 20
SP - 249
EP - 253
JO - European Journal of Gynaecological Oncology
JF - European Journal of Gynaecological Oncology
IS - 4
ER -