Anti-Müllerian hormone inhibits growth of AMH type II receptor-positive human ovarian granulosa cell tumor cells by activating apoptosis

Lab Invest. 2011 Nov;91(11):1605-14. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2011.116. Epub 2011 Aug 1.

Abstract

Ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are sex cord stromal tumors that constitute 3-5% of all ovarian cancers. GCTs usually present with an indolent course but there is a high risk of recurrence, which associates with increased mortality, and targeted treatments would be desirable. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a key factor regulating sexual differentiation of the reproductive organs, has been implicated as a growth inhibitor in ovarian cancer. GCTs and normal granulosa cells produce AMH, but its expression in large GCTs is usually downregulated. Further, as the lack of specific AMH-signaling pathway components leads to GCT development in mice, we hypothesized that AMH inhibits growth of GCTs. Utilizing a large panel of human GCT tissue samples, we found that AMH type I receptors (ALK2, ALK3 and ALK6) and type II receptor (AMHRII), as well as their downstream effectors Smad1/5, are expressed and active in GCTs. AMHRII expression was detected in the vast majority (96%) of GCTs and correlated with AMH mRNA and protein expression. AMH mRNA level was low in large GCTs, confirming previous findings on low-AMH protein expression in large human as well as mouse GCTs. To study the functional role of AMH in this peculiar ovarian cancer, we utilized a human GCT cell line (KGN) and 10 primary GCT cell cultures. We found that the AMH-Smad1/5-signaling pathway was active in these cells, and that exogenous AMH further activated Smad1/5 in KGN cells. Furthermore, AMH treatment reduced the number of KGN cells and primary GCT cells, with increasing amounts of AMH leading to augmented activation of caspase-3 and subsequent apoptosis. All in all, these data support the premise that AMH is a growth inhibitor of GCTs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Bromodeoxyuridine
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Female
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / drug therapy
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / metabolism
  • Granulosa Cell Tumor / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Receptors, Peptide / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Receptors, Peptide
  • Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles
  • anti-Mullerian hormone receptor
  • Anti-Mullerian Hormone
  • thiazolyl blue
  • Bromodeoxyuridine