Reduced Gonadotrophin Receptor Expression Is Associated with a More Aggressive Ovarian Cancer Phenotype

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) play important roles in regulating cell growth and proliferation in the ovary. However, few studies have explored the expression of FSH and LH receptors (FSHR and LHCGR) in ovarian cancer, and their functional roles in cancer progression remain inconclusive. This study investigated the potential impact of both mRNA (FSHR, LHCGR) and protein (FSHR, LHCGR) expression on ovarian cancer progression using publicly available online databases, qRT-PCR (high grade serous ovarian cancers, HGSOC, n = 29 and benign ovarian tumors, n = 17) and immunohistochemistry (HGSOC, n = 144). In addition, we investigated the effect of FSHR and LHCGR siRNA knockdown on the pro-metastatic behavior of serous ovarian cancer cells in vitro. High FSHR or high LHCGR expression in patients with all subtypes of high-grade ovarian cancer was significantly associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). High FSHR protein expression was associated with increased PFS (p = 0.050) and OS (p = 0.025). HGSOC patients with both high FSHR and high LHCGR protein levels had the best survival outcome, whilst both low FSHR and low LHCGR expression was associated with poorest survival (p = 0.019). Knockdown of FSHR significantly increased the invasion of serous ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR3 and COV362) in vitro. LHCGR knockdown also promoted invasion of COV362 cells. This study highlights that lower FSHR and LHCGR expression is associated with a more aggressive epithelial ovarian cancer phenotype and promotes pro-metastatic behaviour.

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A Unique Pattern of Mesothelial-Mesenchymal Transition Induced in the Normal Peritoneal Mesothelium by High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers11050662 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 662 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Martyna Pakuła ◽

Paweł Uruski ◽

Arkadiusz Niklas ◽

Aldona Woźniak ◽

Dariusz Szpurek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Specific Pattern ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

High Grade ◽

Serous Ovarian Cancer ◽

Mesenchymal Transition

The study was designed to establish whether high aggressiveness of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells (HGSOCs), which display rapid growth, advanced stage at diagnosis and the highest mortality among all epithelial ovarian cancer histotypes, may be linked with a specific pattern of mesothelial-mesenchymal transition (MMT) elicited by these cells in normal peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs). Experiments were performed on primary PMCs, stable and primary ovarian cancer cells, tumors from patients with ovarian cancer, and laboratory animals. Results of in vitro and in vivo tests showed that MMT triggered by HGSOCs (primary cells and OVCAR-3 line) is far more pronounced than the process evoked by cells representing less aggressive ovarian cancer histotypes (A2780, SKOV-3). Mechanistically, HGSOCs induce MMT via Smad 2/3, ILK, TGF-β1, HGF, and IGF-1, whereas A2780 and SKOV-3 cells via exclusively Smad 2/3 and HGF. The conditioned medium from PMCs undergoing MMT promoted the progression of cancer cells and the effects exerted by the cells triggered to undergo MMT by the HGSOCs were significantly stronger than those related to the activity of their less aggressive counterparts. Our findings indicate that MMT in PMCs provoked by HGSOCs is stronger, proceeds via different mechanisms and has more procancerous characteristics than MMT provoked by less aggressive cancer histotypes, which may at least partly explain high aggressiveness of HGSOCs.

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Abstract 323: High grade serous ovarian cancer cells spontaneously self-organize in vitro into multicellular irregular aggregates and highly organized spheroids.

10.1158/1538-7445.am2013-323 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Alicia A. Goyeneche

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

High Grade ◽

Serous Ovarian Cancer

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Primary high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells are sensitive to senescence induced by carboplatin and paclitaxel in vitro

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters ◽

10.1186/s11658-021-00287-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Paweł Uruski ◽

Agnieszka Sepetowska ◽

Corinna Konieczna ◽

Martyna Pakuła ◽

Michał Wyrwa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Dna Damage ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Telomerase Activity ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

High Grade ◽

Serous Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Background Various types of normal and cancer cells undergo senescence in response to carboplatin and paclitaxel, which are considered the gold standard treatments in ovarian cancer management. Surprisingly, the effect of these drugs on ovarian cancer cell senescence remained unknown. Methods The experiments were conducted on primary high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells. Molecular markers of senescence were evaluated using cytochemistry and immunofluorescence. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry. Expression of cyclins and signaling pathways was tested using western blot. Telomere length and telomerase activity were measured using qPCR, and the colocalization of telomeres with DNA damage foci using immuno-FISH. Oxidative stress-related parameters were quantified using appropriate fluorescence probes. Production of cancerogenic agents was analyzed using qPCR and ELISA. Results Carboplatin applied with paclitaxel induces senescence of ovarian cancer cells in vitro. This activity was reflected by permanent G2/M growth arrest, a high fraction of cells expressing senescence biomarkers (SA-β-Gal and γ-H2A.X), upregulated expression of p16, p21, and p53 cell cycle inhibitors, and decreased expression of cyclin B1. Neither telomere length nor telomerase activity changed in the senescent cells, and the majority of DNA damage was localized outside telomeres. Moreover, drug-treated cancer cells exhibited increased production of STAT3 protein, overproduced superoxide and peroxides, and increased mitochondrial mass. They were also characterized by upregulated ANG1, CCL11, IL-6, PDGF-D, TIMP-3, TSP-1, and TGF-β1 at the mRNA and/or protein level. Conclusions Our findings imply that conventional chemotherapy may elicit senescence in ovarian cancer cells, which may translate to the development of a cancer-promoting phenotype, despite the inability of these cells to divide.

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Epigenetic Therapy Augments Classic Chemotherapy in Suppressing the Growth of 3D High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Spheroids over an Extended Period of Time

Biomolecules ◽

10.3390/biom11111711 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 1711

Author(s):

Michelle Bilbao ◽

Chelsea Katz ◽

Stephanie L. Kass ◽

Devon Smith ◽

Krystal Hunter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

3D Culture ◽

Extended Period ◽

Recurrent Ovarian Cancer ◽

Epigenetic Therapy ◽

Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽

High Grade ◽

Serous Ovarian Cancer ◽

Cancer Spheroids

Recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is clinically very challenging and prematurely shortens patients’ lives. Recurrent ovarian cancer is characterized by high tumor heterogeneity; therefore, it is susceptible to epigenetic therapy in classic 2D tissue culture and rodent models. Unfortunately, this success has not translated well into clinical trials. Utilizing a 3D spheroid model over a period of weeks, we were able to compare the efficacy of classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy on recurrent ovarian cancer cells. Unexpectedly, in our model, a single dose of paclitaxel alone caused the exponential growth of recurrent high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer over a period of weeks. In contrast, this effect is not only opposite under treatment with panobinostat, but panobinostat reverses the repopulation of cancer cells following paclitaxel treatment. In our model, we also demonstrate differences in the drug-treatment sensitivity of classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy. Moreover, 3D-derived ovarian cancer cells demonstrate induced proliferation, migration, invasion, cancer colony formation and chemoresistance properties after just a single exposure to classic chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence demonstrating a critical contrast between short and prolonged post-treatment outcomes following classic chemotherapy and epigenetic therapy in recurrent high-grade serous ovarian cancer in 3D culture.

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