Clinical implications of expression of ETS-1 in relation to angiogenesis in ovarian cancers

Cancer Sci. 2003 Sep;94(9):769-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2003.tb01517.x.

Abstract

ETS-1 has been identified as a transcription factor involved in tumor angiogenesis, which is essential for the growth, invasion, and metastasis of solid tumors. This result prompted us to study whether ETS-1 works as an angiogenic mediator in ovarian cancers. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that ETS-1 was expressed in vascular endothelial cells and in cancer cells of ovarian cancers. There was a significant correlation between microvessel counts and both ETS-1 histoscores and ets-1 mRNA levels in ovarian cancers. Both ETS-1 histoscores and ets-1 mRNA levels increased with the progression of ovarian cancers. Furthermore, the 24-month survival rate of 30 patients with high ets-1 (high ETS-1 histoscores and high ets-1 mRNA levels) was 30%, while that of 30 other patients with low ets-1 (low ETS-1 histoscores and ets-1 mRNA levels) was 70%. There was a significant difference between the 24-month survival rates of the 30 patients with high ets-1 and the 30 with low ets-1. This indicates that ETS-1 might act as an angiogenic mediator in, and be a prognostic factor for, ovarian cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Disease Progression
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Microcirculation
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / genetics*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / blood supply*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Survival Rate
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • ETS1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Transcription Factors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases