Expression And Clinical Significance Of SOX11 And STK15 In Borderline Ovarian Tumors

Objective:To determine the expressions of SOX11 and STK15 in borderline ovarian tumors(BOTs),ovarian cancer(OC),ovarian cystadenoma and normal ovarian tissues,and compare the differences of their expressions and regularities of these two genes in different ovarian tissues.Then to explore how they affect the process of occurrence and development in ovarian tumors,and further analyze the relationship between SOX11,STK15 and the clinicopathological characteristics of borderline ovarian tumors,and the correlation between these two genes in borderline ovarian tumors,and provide more effective molecular pathological indicators for the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of BOTs.Methods:A immunohistochemical method was used to determine the expressions of SOX11 and STK15 protein in 139 wax specimens,including 59 cases of borderline ovarian tumors,40 cases of ovarian cancer tissues,20 cases of ovarian cystadenoma tissues and 20 cases of normal ovarian tissues;In addition,we investigated SOX11 and STK15 m RNA levels with q RT-PCR in 19 surgically resected fresh ovarian tissues,including 6 cases of borderline ovarian tumors tissues,5 cases of ovarian cancer tissues,5 cases of ovarian cystadenoma tissues and 3 cases of normal ovarian tissues,Then we compared the differences and analyzed correlation of two factors among 4 groups.furthermore,we investigated the relationship between the two factors and the clinicopathological feature of borderline ovarian tumors.SPSS23.0 software was used to process the obtained data,usingχ~2tests(includingχ~2continuous correction test),Fisher exact probability method,single factor analysis of variance and Spearman rank correlation test to statistically analyze the data.P<0.05 indicated that the differences were statistically significant.Results:1.SOX11 protein is mainly located in the nucleus.The positive rates in normal ovari-an tissues,ovarian cystadenoma,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer are10.0%,45.0%,72.9%,92.5%,respectively.The differences of positive rates between nor-mal ovarian tissues and ovarian cystadenoma,ovarian cystadenoma and borderline ovarian tumors,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer are statistically signifi-cant(χ~2=4.514,5.161,4.719;P=0.034,0.023,0.030);SOX11 is closely related to the clinical staging of borderline ovarian tumors.The positive rate of SOX11 protein in FIGO stage II-III group(94.1%)is higher than that in FIGO stage I group(69.3%),and the difference between two groups is statistically significant(χ~2=4.044,P=0.044).The differences of SOX11 protein were not statistically significant in ovarian borderline tumors with or without abdominal implantation and lymph node involvement(χ~2=0.015,P=0.902;χ~2=0.000,P=1.000);The positive rates of SOX11 protein in differ-ent histological types of borderline ovarian tumors are not statistically significant(P=0.183).2.STK15 protein is mainly located in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus.The positive rates in normal ovarian tissues,ovarian cystadenoma,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer are 25.0%,30.0%,69.5%,90.0%,respectively.The differences of positive rates between borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cystadenoma,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer are statistically significant(χ~2=9.666,5.801;P=0.002,0.016),how-ever,the difference of positive rates between ovarian cystadenoma and normal ovarian tissues is not statistically significant(χ~2=0.125,P=0.723);STK15 is related to the clini-cal staging of borderline ovarian tumors.The positive rate of SOX11 protein in FIGO stage II-III group(88.2%)is higher than that in FIGO stage I group(61.9%),and the difference between two groups is statistically significant(χ~2=3.957,P=0.047).The positive rates of STK15 protein are not statistically significant in ovarian borderline tumors with or without abdominal implantation and lymph node involvement(χ~2=0.096,P=0.757;χ~2=0.001,P=0.979).The positive rates of STK15 in different histological types of borderline ovarian tumors are not statistically significant(P=0.631).3.Among 59 cases of borderline ovarian tumors,35 cases were positive for both SOX11 protein and STK15 protein,10 cases were both negative at the same time,8 cases were SOX11 protein positive but STK15 protein negative,and 6 cases were STK15protein positive but SOX11 protein negative.The results tested by spearman rank correlation showed that the expressions of SOX11 and STK15 proteins in borderline ovarian tumors were positively correlated(r=0.424,P=0.001).4.SOX11 m RNA levels gradually increase in normal ovarian tissues,ovarian cystade-noma,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer.There are significant differences between borderline ovarian tumors and normal ovarian tissues,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer,and normal ovarian tissues and ovarian cancer(P<0.05),while there is no significant difference between borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cystadenoma(P>0.05).STK15 m RNA levels gradually increase in normal ovarian tissues,ovarian cystadenoma,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer.There are significant difference between borderline ovarian tumors and normal ovarian tissues,borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cancer,and normal ovarian tissues and ovarian cancer(P<0.05),while there is no significant difference between borderline ovarian tumors and ovarian cystadenoma(P>0.05).Conclusion:1.The expression levels of SOX11 and STK15 gradually increase from normal to ma-lignant ovarian tissues,and play a role in promoting the occurrence and development process of ovarian tumors.2.The later the clinical staging of BOTs,the higher expression levels of SOX11 and STK15 protein,indicating that these two genes are related to tumor prognosis.3.The expression levels of SOX11 and STK15 protein in BOTs are positively correla-ted,suggesting that these two genes may have a synergistic effect in the occurrence and development of BOTs.