Epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory function of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer

  • Authors:
    • Di Wu
    • Lei Liu
    • Chengcheng Ren
    • Dan Kong
    • Pengqi Zhang
    • Xiaoming Jin
    • Tianzhen Wang
    • Guangmei Zhang
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 8, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4092
  • Pages: 1463-1468
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Abstract

This study assessed the role of epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory functions of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer. E‑cadherin, vimentin, ZEB1 and ZEB2 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry in a series of ovarian tissues that included normal tissue, benign tumors, borderline tumors, malignant tumors and metastatic lesions. The correlation between E‑cadherin and ZEB was analyzed. We also analyzed the association between the expression of the four factors and clinicopathological features in ovarian cancer. The results revealed that E‑cadherin was weakly positive in normal ovarian epithelium. Cytoplasmic E‑cadherin was significantly increased in benign tumors (P<0.01) and further increased in borderline tumors and ovarian cancers. However, cytoplasmic E‑cadherin was markedly reduced in metastatic lesions (P<0.01). Membranous E‑cadherin was increased in benign tumors, but decreased progressively in borderline, malignant and metastatic tumor tissues (P<0.05). The expression profile of vimentin was opposite to that of membranous E‑cadherin. Membranous E‑cadherin was negatively correlated with ZEB2 expression (r=‑0.514). Additionally, cytoplasmic E‑cadherin, ZEB1 and ZEB2 were associated with the FIGO stage of ovarian cancer. ZEB1 was also correlated with ascitic fluid volume. Our results suggest that epithelial‑mesenchymal interconversions are dynamically regulated during the development and progression of ovarian tumors. ZEB2, but not ZEB1, may regulate the expression of membranous E-cadherin during these processes.
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February-2016
Volume 11 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Wu D, Liu L, Ren C, Kong D, Zhang P, Jin X, Wang T and Zhang G: Epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory function of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer. Oncol Lett 11: 1463-1468, 2016
APA
Wu, D., Liu, L., Ren, C., Kong, D., Zhang, P., Jin, X. ... Zhang, G. (2016). Epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory function of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer. Oncology Letters, 11, 1463-1468. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4092
MLA
Wu, D., Liu, L., Ren, C., Kong, D., Zhang, P., Jin, X., Wang, T., Zhang, G."Epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory function of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer". Oncology Letters 11.2 (2016): 1463-1468.
Chicago
Wu, D., Liu, L., Ren, C., Kong, D., Zhang, P., Jin, X., Wang, T., Zhang, G."Epithelial-mesenchymal interconversions and the regulatory function of the ZEB family during the development and progression of ovarian cancer". Oncology Letters 11, no. 2 (2016): 1463-1468. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4092