Alteration of HGF and TSP‐1 expression in ovarian carcinoma associated with clinical features

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) with the clinical pathological factors in ovarian cancer, and the correlation between HGF and TSP-1 expression at the protein level. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the location and expression of HGF and TSP-1 protein in ovarian cancer and benign ovarian tumor tissue. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect HGF and TSP-1 gene mRNA expression in ovarian cancer and benign ovarian tumor tissue. The level and positive expression rate of HGF mRNA in ovarian cancer tissue was significantly higher than in ovarian adenoma tissues. The positive expression of HGF protein in ovarian cancer was related with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and lymph node metastasis. The level and positive expression rate of TSP-1 mRNA in ovarian cancer tissue was lower than in ovarian adenoma. The absence expression of TSP-1 protein in ovarian cancer was significantly related with FIGO stage and histological grade. The intensity of these positive expressions in ovarian cancer tissues were significant negatively associated with each other. Abnormal expression of HGF and TSP-1 may be related to malignant progression of ovarian cancer and associated in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer.