Screening for genes associated with ovarian cancer prognosis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Human epithelial ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3.ip1 is more invasive and metastatic compared with its parental line SKOV3. A total of 17 000 human genome complementary DNA microarrays were used to compare the gene expression patterns of the two cell lines. Based on this, the gene expression profiles of 22 patients with ovarian cancer were analyzed by cDNA microarray, and screened the 2-fold differentially expressed genes compared with the normal ones. We screened genes relevant to clinical prognosis of serous ovarian cancer by determining the expression profiles of ovarian cancer genes to investigate cell receptor and immunity-associated genes, and as groundwork, identify ovarian cancer-associated antigens at the gene level.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Total RNA was extracted from 22 patients with ovarian cancer and DNA microarrays were prepared. After scanning, hybridization signals were collected and the genes that were differentially expressed twice as compared with the normal ones were screened.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>We screened 236 genes relevant to the prognosis of ovarian cancer from the 17 000 human genome cDNA microarrays. According to gene classification, 48 of the 236 genes were cell receptor or immunity-associated genes, including 2 genes related to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, 4 genes to histological grade, 18 genes to lymph node metastasis, 11 genes to residual disease, and 13 genes to the reactivity to chemotherapy. Several functionally important genes including fibronectin 1, pericentriolar material 1, beta-2-microglobulin, PPAR binding protein were identified through review of the literature.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The cDNA microarray of ovarian cancer genes developed in this study was effective and high throughput in screening the ovarian cancer-associated genes differentially expressed. Through the studies of the cell receptor and immunity-associated genes we expect to identify the molecular biology index of ovarian cancer-associated antigens.</p>

Humoral immune responses induced by anti-idiotypic antibody fusion protein of 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF in BALB/c mice / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>We have previously developed and characterized a monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody, designated 6B11, which mimics an ovarian carcinoma associated antigen OC166 - 9 and whose corresponding monoclonal antibody is COC166 - 9 (Ab1). In this study, we evaluate the humoral immune responses induced by the fusion protein 6B11 single-chain variable fragment (scFv)/human granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) and 6B11scFv in BALB/c mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The fusion protein 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF was constructed by fusing a recombinant single-chain variable fragment of 6B11scFv to GM-CSF. BALB/c mice were administrated by 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF and 6B11scFv, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The fusion protein 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF retained binding to the anti-mouse F (ab) 2' and was also biologically active as measured by proliferation of human GM-CSF dependent cell TF1 in vitro. After immunization with the 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF and 6B11ScFv, BALB/c mice showed significantly enhanced Ab3 antibody responses to 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF compared with the 6B11scFv alone. The level of Ab3 was the highest after the first week and maintained for five weeks after the last immunization. Another booster was given when the Ab3 titer descended, and it would reach to the high level in a week.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The fusion protein 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF can induce humoral immunity against ovarian carcinoma in vivo. We also provide the theoretical foundation for the application of the fusion protein 6B11scFv/hGM-CSF for active immunotherapy of ovarian cancer.</p>