A study on expression of BRCA1 gene in sporadic ovarian epithelial cancer in China / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose:To explore whether expression of BRCA1 is altered during the development of sporadic ovarian epithelial cancer. To investigate the relationship between BRCA1 expression and clinical pathological parameters. Methods:The expression of mRNA and protein of BRCA1 were determined in 50 ovarian cancers, 11 benign ovarian tumors and 10 normal ovary tissues by means of RT PCR and S P immunohistochemical method. Results:BRCA1 mRNA relative expression levels were 0.6688?0.2232?0.9264?0.1398 and 1.0440?0.2182, respectively, and protein expression rates were 30.0%, 90.9%, and 100% in ovarian cancers, benign tumors and normal ovary tissues separately. The expression levels were significantly lower in ovarian cancers than that in the latter two. In addition, the level of BRCA1 expression decreased with pathological grade increasing; and also BRCA1 expression reduced, even deleted, in cancers with pelvic lymph node metastasis. Conclusions:Down regulation of BRCA1 expression at the levels of transcription and translation plays an important role in the occurrence, and progression of sporadic ovarian cancer. Reduction of BRCA1 expression is closely related to tumor pathological grade and probably implies a poor prognosis.