Immunohistological localization of MDM2, MCM2, Fascin, PCNA, EGFR in paraffin section; in the normal and cancerous human ovary.

BACKGROUND

Many protein markers have been investigated in human tissues such as; Fascin, MDM2, MCM2, EGFR, and PCNA. These markers have important physiologic roles in cell proliferation, motility, adhesion, invasion, and survival.

AIMS: up to date, some researchers focused on these markers in ovarian cancer. However, the mentioned markers have not been investigated in the normal human ovary. Using the immunohistochemical technique we tried to localize these markers in the normal, and cancerous ovarian tissues.

METHODS

Paraffin-embedded from 10 normal ovarian tissue and 1 case with histologically confirmed ovarian cancer, underwent an immunohistological process, and five mentioned markers were localized in the human ovary. At first, each marker presentation was assessed and then it tried to quantify the amount of presentation.

RESULTS

Fascin, PCNA, and MCM2 are presented high in the normal ovarian tissue, while EGFR is restricted to the epithelium and very rarely in the granulosa cells. Also, MDM2 was negative for all normal ovaries. All markers had overexpression in ovarian cancer in different patterns.

CONCLUSION

Ovarian cancer tissue showed over-expression of the cell proliferation and motility markers compared with the normal ovary. These markers may have prognostic value in ovarian cancer.