1. AEG-1 Contributes to Metastasis in Hypoxia-Related Ovarian Cancer by Modulating the HIF-1alpha/NF-kappaB/VEGF Pathway.
- Author
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Yu, Xiaoyu, Wang, Yan, Qiu, Huilei, Song, Hongtao, Feng, Di, Jiang, Yang, Deng, Shuzhe, Meng, Hongxue, and Geng, Jingshu
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HYPOXEMIA , *METABOLISM , *METASTASIS , *OVARIAN tumors , *POLYMERASE chain reaction , *DNA-binding proteins , *VASCULAR endothelial growth factors , *DISEASE complications , *DIAGNOSIS , *GENETICS - Abstract
Objective . Ovarian carcinoma represents one of the deadliest malignancies among female cancer patients. Astrocyte-elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) participates in the ontogenesis of multiple human malignant diseases. Here we evaluated AEG-1, hypoxia-inducible factor- (HIF-) 1α , nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κ B), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) amounts in hypoxia induced ovarian carcinoma cells. This study aimed to explore the mechanism by which AEG-1 regulates metastasis in hypoxia induced ovarian carcinoma.Patients and Methods . AEG-1, HIF-1α , and VEGF protein amounts were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 40 and 170 normal ovary and ovarian cancer tissue specimens, respectively. In addition, AEG-1, HIF-1α , NF-κ B, and VEGF mRNA and protein levels were determined by reverse quantified RT-PCR and WB, respectively, at different time periods (0–24 h) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) SKOV3 cells treated in a hypoxia incubator. Furthermore, NF-κ B and VEGF gene and protein expression levels in AEG-1 knockdown EOC cells were quantitated by RT-PCR and WB, respectively.Results . AEG-1, HIF-1α , and VEGF amounts were significantly elevated in EOC tissue samples compared with normal ovary specimens (p<0.001). Positive expression of HIF-1α and AEG-1 was associated with higher metastatic rate (p<0.01), lower FIGO stage (p<0.001), and degree of differentiation (p<0.001). Meanwhile, EOC SKOV3 cells grew upon exposure to hypoxia for 8 h (p<0.001); at this time point, AEG-1, HIF-1α , NF-κ B, and VEGF amounts peaked (p<0.001), at both the gene and the protein levels. After AEG-1 knockdown, HIF-1α , NF-κ B, and VEGF amounts were significantly decreased in EOC SKOV3 cells, also under hypoxic conditions (p<0.01).Conclusions . As an independent prognostic factor, AEG-1 was found to be significantly associated with hypoxia in ovarian cancer by regulating the HIF-1alpha/NF-kappaB/VEGF pathway. Therefore, AEG-1 may be useful in determining disease stage and prognosis in ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
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