In vivo tumor growth of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cell lines

OBJECTIVE: Genomic studies of ovarian cancer (OC) cell lines frequently used in research revealed that these cells do not fully represent high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the most common OC histologic type. However, OC lines that appear to genomically resemble HGSOC have not been extensively used and their growth characteristics in murine xenografts are essentially unknown. METHODS: To better understand growth patterns and characteristics of HGSOC cell lines in vivo, CAOV3, COV362, KURAMOCHI, NIH-OVCAR3, OVCAR4, OVCAR5, OVCAR8, OVSAHO, OVKATE, SNU119 and UWB1.289 cells were assessed for tumor formation in nude mice. Cells were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) or subcutaneously (s.c.) in female athymic nude mice and allowed to grow (maximum of 90 days) and tumor formation was analyzed. All tumors were sectioned and assessed using H&E staining and immunohistochemistry for p53, PAX8 and WT1 expression. RESULTS: Six lines (OVCAR3, OVCAR4, OVCAR5, OVCAR8, CAOV3, and OVSAHO) formed i.p xenografts with HGSOC histology. OVKATE and COV362 formed s.c. tumors only. Rapid tumor formation was observed for OVCAR3, OVCAR5 and OVCAR8, but only OVCAR8 reliably formed ascites. Tumors derived from OVCAR3, OVCAR4, and OVKATE displayed papillary features. Of the 11 lines examined, three (Kuramochi, SNU119 and UWB1.289) were non-tumorigenic. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings help further define which HGSOC cell models reliably generate tumors and/or ascites, critical information for preclinical drug development, validating in vitro findings, imaging and prevention studies by the OC research community

Examination of the Fractalkine and Fractalkine Receptor Expression in Fallopian Adenocarcinoma Reveals Differences When Compared to Ovarian Carcinoma

Fallopian adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy arising in the epithelium of the fallopian tube. Fallopian tube epithelium has been proposed as a tissue origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Given the commonalities in dissemination and treatment of these malignancies, we contemplated the possibility of similar patterns of gene expression underlying their progression. To reveal potential similarities or differences in the gene expression of fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, we tested expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) and its ligand, fractalkine (CX3CL1), in the specimens of normal and pathologic fallopian tube using immunohistochemistry. Our data show that CX3CR1 is expressed in the normal, cancer adjacent normal, inflammatory, and malignant fallopian epithelium. CX3CL1 was expressed only by the normal and cancer adjacent normal fallopian tube epithelium; its expression was largely lost in the inflammatory and malignant fallopian epithelium. In opposite, both CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 are expressed in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. These findings are consistent with an idea that fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, although currently thought to arise from the same organ, may not share similar molecular characteristics

Investigation of the inhibitory effects of furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural on the production of Aspergillus niger inulinase and modeling of the process

Due to the limited natural resources, the tendency toward using agro-industrial wastes as the main substrate in the biotechnological productions has increased. In order to obtain biologically available compounds out of these wastes, various extraction processes need to be applied. However, during these processes, some other inhibitory compounds such as furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) also occur. Therefore, evaluation of these inhibitor effects on the biological systems before using these wastes as substrate is crucial for the overall success of the process. This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of various concentrations of furfural and HMF on the Aspergillus niger A42 (ATCC 204,447) inulinase activity, invertase activity, biomass production, and sugar consumption in sucrose-based medium and to model the production outcomes. The results showed that furfural had higher inhibitory effect on the process than HMF at the same concentrations. However, fungi were able to tolerate up to 3 g/1 of HMF or 0.5 g/l of furfural in the production medium with minor changes in the yield. The highest inulinase activities were measured as 268.737 and 197.350 U/ml in the presence of 1 g/l of HMF and 0.1 g/1 of furfural, respectively. In these conditions, inulinase productions were successfully represented by Baranyi and Weibull models. This study clearly showed that inulinase production with Aspergillus niger A42 can be successfully performed in the presence of a certain amount of furfural and HMF, which indicates the strength of potential usage of lignocellulosic materials as production substrate

Examination of the Fractalkine and Fractalkine Receptor Expression in Fallopian Adenocarcinoma Reveals Differences When Compared to Ovarian Carcinoma

Fallopian adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy arising in the epithelium of the fallopian tube. Fallopian tube epithelium has been proposed as a tissue origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Given the commonalities in dissemination and treatment of these malignancies, we contemplated the possibility of similar patterns of gene expression underlying their progression. To reveal potential similarities or differences in the gene expression of fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, we tested expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) and its ligand, fractalkine (CX3CL1), in the specimens of normal and pathologic fallopian tube using immunohistochemistry. Our data show that CX3CR1 is expressed in the normal, cancer adjacent normal, inflammatory, and malignant fallopian epithelium. CX3CL1 was expressed only by the normal and cancer adjacent normal fallopian tube epithelium; its expression was largely lost in the inflammatory and malignant fallopian epithelium. In opposite, both CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 are expressed in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. These findings are consistent with an idea that fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, although currently thought to arise from the same organ, may not share similar molecular characteristics

Three-Dimensional Collagen Type I Matrix Up-Regulates Nuclear Isoforms of the Microtubule Associated Protein Tau Implicated in Resistance to Paclitaxel Therapy in Ovarian Carcinoma

Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. One reason underlying treatment failure is resistance to paclitaxel. Expression of the microtubule associated protein tau has recently been proposed as a predictor of response to paclitaxel in ovarian carcinoma patients. Expression of tau was probed using immunohistochemistry in 312 specimens of primary, and 40 specimens of metastatic, ovarian carcinoma. Serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma cell line models were used to determine the expression of tau by Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Subcellular fractionation and Western blot were employed to examine nuclear and cytoplasmic localization of tau. Gene silencing and clonogenic assays were used to evaluate paclitaxel response. Tau was expressed in 44% of all tested cases. Among the primary serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma cases, 46% were tau-positive. Among the metastatic serous epithelial ovarian carcinomas, 63% were tau-positive. Cell culture experiments demonstrated that tau was expressed in multiple isoforms. Three-dimensional collagen I matrix culture conditions resulted in up-regulation of tau protein. Silencing of tau with specific siRNAs in a combination with three-dimensional culture conditions led to a significant decrease of the clonogenic ability of cells treated with paclitaxel. The data suggest that reduction of tau expression may sensitize ovarian carcinoma to the paclitaxel treatment

Fractalkine receptor is expressed in mature ovarian teratomas and required for epidermal lineage differentiation

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to determine a predominant cell type expressing fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) in mature ovarian teratomas and to establish functional significance of its expression in cell differentiation. METHODS: Specimens of ovarian teratoma and human fetal tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for CX3CR1expression. Ovarian teratocarcinoma cell line PA-1 was used as a model for cell differentiation. RESULTS: We found that the majority of the specimens contained CX3CR1-positive cells of epidermal lineage. Skin keratinocytes in fetal tissues were also CX3CR1- positive. PA-1 cells with downregulated CX3CR1 failed to express a skin keratinocyte marker cytokeratin 14 when cultured on Matrigel in the presence of a morphogen, bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP-4), as compared to those expressing scrambled shRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Here we demonstrate that CX3CR1 is expressed in both normally (fetal skin) and abnormally (ovarian teratoma) differentiated keratinocytes and is required for cell differentiation into epidermal lineage

Versican regulates metastasis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma cells and spheroids

BACKGROUND: Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is a deadly disease characterized by overt peritoneal metastasis. Individual cells and multicellular aggregates, or spheroids, seed these metastases, both commonly found in ascites. Mechanisms that foster spheroid attachment to the peritoneal tissues preceding formation of secondary lesions are largely unknown. METHODS: Cell culture models of SKOV-3, OVCAR3, OVCAR4, Caov-3, IGROV-1, and A2780 were used. In this report the role of versican was examined in adhesion of EOC spheroids and cells to peritoneal mesothelial cell monolayers in vitro as well as in formation of peritoneal tumors using an in vivo xenograft mouse model. RESULTS: The data demonstrate that versican is instrumental in facilitating cell and spheroid adhesion to the mesothelial cell monolayers, as its reduction with specific shRNAs led to decreased adhesion. Furthermore, spheroids with reduced expression of versican failed to disaggregate to complete monolayers when seeded atop monolayers of peritoneal mesothelial cells. Failure of spheroids lacking versican to disaggregate as efficiently as controls could be attributed to a reduced cell migration that was observed in the absence of versican expression. Importantly, both spheroids and cells with reduced expression of versican demonstrated significantly impaired ability to generate peritoneal tumors when injected intraperitoneally into athymic nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together these data suggest that versican regulates the development of peritoneal metastasis originating from cells and spheroids