Expression And Significance Of C-erbB2. CD44v5 And Nm23-H1 In Human Ovarian Cancer

Purpose: To demonstrate immunohistochemical expression of c-erbB2, CD44v5 and nm23-H1 proteins in ovarian cancers, epithelial benign tumors and normal ovarian tissues, to establish their correlation with clinical stages, histological types, grades and lymphoid metastasis of ovarian cancer.Methods : we performed immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens from 41 ovarian cancers , 20 ovarian epithelial benign tumors and 10 normal ovarian tissues, using the anti-C-erbB2, CD44v5 and nm23-Hl monoclonal antibodies.Results and Conclusion: (1) The positive expression of C-erbB2, CD44v5 in ovarian cancers was significantly higher than in normal ovarian tissues and epithelial benign tumors (P<0.01). It suggests that the two molecules may relate to the oncogenesis of ovarian cancer. (2) The positive and over-expression of C-erbB2 in moderately, poorly differentiated tissues was significantly higher than in well-differentiated tissues (P<0.01). It suggests that moderately, poorly differentiated cancer cells proliferate actively. (3)The positive and over expression of CD44v5 in lymphoid metastasis of ovarian cancers was significantly higher than in unlymphoid metastasis ones (P<0.01). The negtive expression of nm23-H1 in positive expression of CD44v5 in lymphoid metastasis of ovarian cancers was significantly higher than in positive expression of CD44v5 unlymphoid metastasis of ones (P<0.05), It suggests that the two molecules may has certain content in the progression of lymphoid metastasis, the detectiong of the two molecules has great valve in predicting lymphoid metastasis and prognosis of ovarian cancers . (4) The positive expression of nm23-H1 in I - II stages of ovarian cancers was unsignificantlyhigher than in normal ovarian tissues and epithelial benign tumors (P>0.05), but the level expression was significantly higher than in normal ovarian tissues and epithelial benign tumors(P<0.05). It suggests that the amplification of nomal nm23-Hl inhibits proliferation of cells in ovarian cancers. The positive expression of nm23-Hl in â…¢-â…£ stages of ovarian cancers was significantly lower than in normal ovarian tissues and epithelial benign tumors and I - II stage of ovarian cancers (PO.01, P<0.05), It suggests that the molecule may relate to the progression of ovarian cancer. (5) The positive, level expression and co-expression of C-erbB2, CD44v5 in III-IV stage of ovarian cancers was significantly higher than in I - II stage of ovarian cancers (PO.05); The negtive expression of nm23-Hl in co-expression of C-erbB2, CD44v5 in ovarian cancers was higher than unco-expression of C-erbB2, CD44v5 in ovarian cancers (PO.05). It suggests that the three molecules have certain content in function and may relate to the oncogensis and progression of ovarian cancer.