Relationship among COX-2 protein expression, PGs levels and biologic behavior in ovarian carcinoma tissues

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship among cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression, prostaglandins levels and biologic behavior in ovarian carcinoma tissues. Methods: The expression of COX-2 protein, levels of prostaglandin (PG)E2, 6-keto-PGF1α and thromboxane (TX)B2 in 54 biopsy specimens from patients with ovarian serous tumors which included three groups: 33 samples of ovarian serous carcinoma; 10 samples of borderline ovarian serous tumors and 11 samples of benign ovarian serous tumors and 10 samples of normal ovarian tissues were detected by Western blot analysis and radioimmunoassay to investigate their clinical significance. Results: The expression of COX-2 protein (82%, 27/33) and its relative content (20.08±3.53) in ovarian serous carcinoma tissues were statistically higher than those in benign ovarian serous tumor tissues and normal ovary tissues i.e., 0 and (15.04±0.12), 0 and (15.33±0.60) (P 0.05). The levels of PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1α and TXB2 showed no significant differences in ovarian carcinoma tissues with different clinical stages (I to II and III to IV), different histological grades, with or without ascites and lymph metastasis. COX-2 expression was correlated with the levels of PGE2, 6-KETO-PGF1α and TXB2 (P<0.01). Conclusion: Our data suggest that COX-2 overexpression leads to increased PGE2, 6-KETA-PGFPGF1α and TXB2 biosynthesis, which may be mechanisms underlying the contribution of COX-2 to the development of ovarian serous carcinoma. BGF2, 6-keto-PGF1α and TXB2 may be helpful parameters of diagnosis and differentiate diagnosis in ovarian serous carcinoma.