The expression of Thymosin beta4 with angiogenic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Kim, Ari; Chung, Hye Won; Kim, Jong Il; Chun, Sun Hee; Moon, Hye Sung

Original Article

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008;51(5):518-526.
Published online May 1, 2008.

The expression of Thymosin beta4 with angiogenic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Ari Kim, Hye Won Chung, Jong Il Kim, Sun Hee Chun, Hye Sung Moon

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. mhsmhs@ewha.ac.kr
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Catholic University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine thymosin beta4 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer compared to normal ovarian tissue. METHODS: Normal and pathologic ovarian tissues were obtained from healthy women (n=18), and from patients with ovarian cancer (n=27). The expression of thymosin beta4 mRNA was examined by quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC PCR). Thymosin beta4 mRNA expression was examined with angiopoietic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-1 and 2. RESULTS: The expression of thymosin beta4 mRNA in epithelial ovarian cancer was higher than that in the normal ovary (p<0.05). Thymosin beta4 mRNA expression was not correlated with ovarian cancer stages, pathologic types, preoperative CA125 levels, or metastasis to lymph nodes but was correlated with the expression vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that overexpression of thymosin beta4 mRNA may be a biologic marker to differentiate epithelial ovarian cancer from normal ovary and it may play a role in angiogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Key Words: Thymosin beta4, Ovarian cancer, Angiogenesis