Low Expression of Claudin-7 as Potential Predictor of Distant Metastases in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Patients

Bibliographic Details
Title: Low Expression of Claudin-7 as Potential Predictor of Distant Metastases in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Chiara Romani, Valentina Zizioli, Marco Silvestri, Laura Ardighieri, Mattia Bugatti, Michela Corsini, Paola Todeschini, Sergio Marchini, Maurizio D'Incalci, Laura Zanotti, Antonella Ravaggi, Fabio Facchetti, Angela Gambino, Franco Odicino, Enrico Sartori, Alessandro Davide Santin, Stefania Mitola, Eliana Bignotti, Stefano Calza
Source: Frontiers in Oncology, Vol 10 (2020)
Publisher Information: Frontiers Media S.A., 2020.
Publication Year: 2020
Collection: LCC:Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Subject Terms: high grade serous ovarian carcinoma, fallopian tube epithelium, claudins, distant metastases, hematogenous spread, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens, RC254-282
More Details: High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) usually spreads directly into the peritoneal cavity following a transcoelomic dissemination route, although distant hematogenous metastasis exist and have been reported. However, no tumor markers can currently predict the risk of distant metastases in HGSOC. Claudins, belonging to tight-junction proteins, are dysregulated in HGSOC and functionally related to cancer progression. Here we analyzed claudin-3, -4, and -7 expression as potential markers of distant metastases. Using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry we assessed the expression of claudins in primary HGSOC tissues, normal ovarian, and normal fallopian tube epithelia and correlated it with clinicopathological features, including the site of metastasis and the route of dissemination. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed on microarray-generated gene expression data to investigate key pathways in patients with distant metastases. We found the overall expression level of claudin-3, -4, and -7 mRNA decreased in HGSOC compared to normal tubal epithelium, currently considered the potential site of origin of many HGSOC. The reduced expression of claudin-7 is significantly associated with the development of distant metastases (p = 0.016), mainly by hematogenous route (p = 0.025). In patients with diminished expression of claudin-7, immunohistochemical staining revealed a heterogeneous pattern of membranous staining with discontinuous expression of claudin-7 along the cell border, indicative of a dischoesive architecture. The estimated reduction in the probability of distant disease is of 39% per unit increase in the level of claudin-7 (p = 0.03). Genes involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, and angiogenesis processes resulted strongly associated to hematogenous recurrence. Our data suggest a potential role of claudin-7 in discriminating distant metastatic events in HGSOC patients. The quantification of its expression levels could be a useful tool to identify patient deserving a personalized follow-up in terms of clinical and radiological assessment.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2234-943X
Relation: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2020.01287/full; https://doaj.org/toc/2234-943X
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01287
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/8a3b8f139a7a4efa94b6ab8f116c19a7
Accession Number: edsdoj.8a3b8f139a7a4efa94b6ab8f116c19a7
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:2234943X
DOI:10.3389/fonc.2020.01287
Published in:Frontiers in Oncology
Language:English