Expression And Significance Of Survivin MRNA And Caspase-3 MRNA In Epithelial Ovary Cancer

Survivin is an apoptosis inhibitor protein, which was identified as a member of the IAP gene family of caspase inhibitor in 1997. This apoptosis inhibitor protein disbands the p21/cdk4 complex to release p21 thereby facilitating its binding to caspase 3, and reducing caspase activity with a consequent inhibition of apoptosis.We examined the expressions of Caspase - 3 mRNA and Survivin mRNA in epithelial ovary carcinoma, in order to find their roles in the progression of ovary cancer and interraltions.Material and Method1. Clinical materials: Cases from First and Second Hospital of China Medical University were collected between January 1994 and May 2003, there were 60 epithelial ovary carcinoma, including 43 serous cystadenocarcinoma, 11 mu-cinous cystadenocarcinoma, 6 endometriod carcinoma; According to FIGO criteria, there were 10 at stage I ,9 at stage II , 38 stage III, 3 at stage IV; According to differentiation degree, there were 5 grade 1 ( high differentiation) , 19 grade2 ( medium differentiation) , 26 grade3 (low differentiation) ; The mean age was 51 years old (22-80 years old). We selected 10 borderline cystadenoma of the same period, 6 borderline serous cystadenoma, 4 borderline mucinous cystadenoma; 10 benign ovary tumor, 5 serous cystadenoma, 5 mucinous cystadenoma; 10 normal ovary tissue resected at operation due to other benign disease.2. In situ hybridization was employed in this study to detect Survivin mRNA and Caspase - 3 mRNA. Cells with diffusely or granularly stained cytoplasmwere defined as positive. We examined each section under 400 times microscope then took photos using digital cameral, calculated optical density using Meta-Morph Imager system version4.6.3. Statistical analysisStudent test was performed to comparing optical density in different group. Differences were regards significant when p <0. 05.Results1. Expression of Caspase -3 mRNA in normal ovary tissue, benign ovary tumor, borderline ovary epithelial cystadenoma, and epithelial ovary carcinomaExpression of Caspase - 3 mRNA was strong in normal ovary tissue and benign ovary tumor; it was weak or negative in borderline tumor and carcinoma. Comparing optical density, it was significant lower in epithelial carcinoma than in normal ovary tissue (p <0.01) or in benign ovary tumor ( p <0. 01) ; It was also significantly lower comparing ovary epithelial carcinoma with normal ovary tissue (p <0. 05) and comparing borderline epithelial ovary tumor with benign ovary tumor (p <0.05) ; There was no significant difference between benign o-vary tumor and normal ovary tissue; It was significantly lower for ovary carcinoma in stage III and IV than stage I and II (p <0. 05) ; There were no significant differences in ovary cancer among various differentiation groups and histologic types.2. Expression of Survivin mRNA in normal ovary tissue, benign ovary tumor, borderline ovary epithelial cystadenoma, and epithelial ovary carcinomaExpression of Survivin mRNA was positive in epithelial ovary carcinoma and borderline ovary epithelial cystadenoma, It was negative in normal ovary tissue and benign ovary tumor with one case exception. Comparing optical density, it was significant high in epithelial carcinoma than in normal ovary tissue ( p < 0.01) or in benign ovary tumor (p <0.01) ; It was also significantly high comparing ovary epithelial carcinoma with borderline ovary epithelial cystadenoma (p <0. 05) ; There were significant differences comparing borderline ovary epithelial cystadenoma with normal ovary tissue and benign ovary tumor ( p < 0.05 ) ; There was no significant difference between benign ovary tumor and normal ovary tissue; It was significantly higher for ovary carcinoma in stage HI and IV than stage I and II (p <0. 05) ; There were no significant differences in ovary cancer among various differentiation groups and histologic types.3. Relation between Survivin mRNA and Caspase -3 mRNA expression Statistical analysis showed that the expression of Survivin mRNA negatively correlated...