Positive Health Online

Abstract

HUANG and co-workers, Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA, have studied the selenium-binding protein 1 in cancer of the ovaries.

Background

Selenium-binding protein 1 was identified to be the most significantly down-regulated protein in ovarian cancer cells.

Methodology

Selenium-binding protein 1 expression levels in 4 normal ovaries, 8 benign ovarian tumors, 12 borderline ovarian tumors and 141 invasive ovarian cancers were analyzed with immunohistochemical assay.

Results

Selenium-binding protein 1 synthesis was reduced in 87% cases of invasive ovarian cancer and was significantly reduced in borderline tumours and invasive cancers (p<0.001). Cox multivariate analysis showed that the Selenium-binding protein 1 expression score was a potential prognostic indicator for unfavourable prognosis of ovarian cancer (hazard ratio 2.18; p=0.009). Selenium can disrupt the androgen pathway, which has been implicated in modulating Selenium-binding protein 1 synthesis. The effects of selenium and androgen on normal human ovarian surface epithelial cells and cancer cells were investigated. Selenium-binding protein 1 levels were reduced by androgen and elevated by selenium treatment in the normal cells, whereas reversed responses were observed in the ovarian cancer cell lines.

Conclusion

Changes in selenium-binding protein 1 expression in malignant ovarian cancer may be an indicator of aberration of selenium/ androgen pathways and may help the prognosis of ovarian cancer.

References

Huang KC, Park DC, Ng SK, Lee JY, Ni X, Ng WC, Bandera CA.,Welch WR, Berkowitz RS, Mok SC, Ng SW. Selenium binding protein 1 in ovarian cancer. International Journal of Cancer 118 (10): 2433-2440, May 15, 2006.