Ovarian cancer is the most lethal world-wide gynecological disease among women due to the lack of molecular biomarkers to diagnose the disease at an early stage. In addition, there are few well established relevant animal models for research on human ovarian cancer. For instance, rodent models have been established through highly specialized genetic manipulations, but they are not an excellent model for human ovarian cancer because histological features are not comparable to those of women, mice have a low incidence of tumorigenesis, and they experience a protracted period of tumor development. However, the laying hen is a unique and highly relevant animal model for research on human ovarian cancer because they spontaneously develop epithelial cell-derived ovarian cancer (EOC) as occurs in women. Our research group has identified common histological and physiological aspects of ovarian tumors from women and laying hens, and we have provided evidence for several potential biomarkers to detect, monitor and target for treatment of human ovarian cancers based on the use of both genetic and epigenetic factors. Therefore, this review focuses on ovarian cancer of laying hens and relevant regulatory mechanisms, based on genetic and epigenetic aspects of the disease in order to provide new information and to highlight the advantages of the laying hen model for research in ovarian carcinogenesis.

Lactose is a disaccharide consisting of a glucose and a galactose. Milk is a sole source of lactose in natural food. Lactase hydrolyzes lactose into glucose and galactose, which are absorbed in the intestine and utilized by the body. After weaning, lactase activity declines. Therefore, the majority of adults have hypolactasia. The prevalence is above 50% in South America, Africa, and Asia. A significant amount of lactose is consumed as cow milk-based food products. However, it has no special nutritional importance for adults, and it is suspected as a dietary risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and ovarian cancer. The aim of this study is to review the evidence and to propose possible mechanisms regarding the relations between lactose intake and CHD and ovarian cancer. Epidemiological studies support the connection of lactose and CHD. Although several mechanisms for elucidation of this connection have been suggested, calcium theory is the most plausible. Galactose is known to be toxic to ovary. Galactose has been suggested to induce ovarian cancer through hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Some epidemiological data support this but others do not. Consumption of lactose or galactose can induce CHD and ovarian cancer; however, more research will be needed in order to determine the relation between lactose and these diseases.

SERPINB3 (also known Squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1, SCCA1) is involved in apoptosis, immune response, cell migration and invasiveness of cells. It has been investigated in various types of squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore we investigated the functional role of SERPINB3 gene in human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) using laying hens, the most relevant animal model. In 136 laying hens, EOC was found in 10 (7.4%). We compared the expression and localization of SERPINB3 using RT-PCR, quantitative RT-PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, and SERPINB3 activation was detected in chicken and human ovarian cancer cell lines using immunofluorescence microscopy. Thereafter, we examined the prognostic value of SERPINB3 expression in patients with EOC by multivariate linear logistic regression and Cox’ proportional hazard analyses. In present study, SERPINB3 mRNA was induced in cancerous ovaries (p< 0.01), and it was only expressed in the glandular epithelium(GE) of cancerous ovaries of laying hens. SERPINB3 protein was localized predominantly to the nucleus of glandular epithelium in cancerous ovaries of laying hens, and it was abundant in the nucleus of both chicken and human ovarian cancer cell lines. In 109 human patients with EOC, 15 (13.8%), 66 (60.6%) and 28 (25.7%) of those patients showed weak, moderate and strong expression of SERPINB3 protein, respectively. Strong expression of SERPINB3 protein was a prognostic factor for platinum resistance (adjusted OR, 5.94; 95% Confidence Limits, 1.21-29.15). Therefore SERPINB3 may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis and be a novel biomarker for predicting platinum resistance and a poor prognosis for survival in patients with EOC. This research was funded by the World Class University (WCU) program (R31-10056), Basic Science Research Program (2010- 0013078) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology and by the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (No.PJ008142), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy, and specific biomarkers are important needed to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and to forecast and monitor treatment efficiency. There are a lot of pathological factors, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), involved in the process of cancer initiation and progression. The oxidative modification of proteins by ROS is implicated in the etiology or progression of disorders and diseases. In this study, a labeling experiment with the thiol-modifying reagent biotinylated iodoacetamide (BIAM) revealed that a variety of proteins were differentially oxidized between normal and tumor tissues of ovarian cancer patients. To identify cysteine oxidation-sensitive proteins in ovarian cancer patients, we performed comparative analysis by nano-UPLC-MSE shotgun proteomics. We found oxidation-sensitive 22 proteins from 41 peptides containing cysteine oxidation. Using Ingenuity program, these proteins identified were established with canonical network related to cytoskeletal network, cellular organization and maintenance, and metabolism. Among oxidation-sensitive proteins, the modification pattern of Collagen alpha-1(VI) chain (COL6A1) was firstly confirmed between normal and tumor tissues of patients by 2-DE western blotting. This result suggested that COL6A1 might have cysteine oxidative modification in tumor tissue of ovarian cancer patients.

Codonopsis lanceolata L. (Campanulaceae) has long been used in traditional Korean medicine to treat bronchitis, cough, and inflammatory diseases, however, the efficacy of anti-tumor activities remains to be defined. In this study the effects of Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) on proliferation, migration and adhesion in lung (A549, H1299) and ovarian cancer (SKOV-3) cells were investigated. To assess and compare the pharmacological effects and production places of C. lanceolata, the ethanolic extracts of C. lanceolata from different places in Korea (Hongseong, Yecheon, Yeongwol, Yanggu, Gangjin, and Hoengseong) were prepared. The extract from Hoengseong county did have only marginal anti-proliferative activity in all the cell lines tested, however, other extracts had little or no effect on cell proliferation. The extracts from Hongseong, Gangjin or Hoengseong county had partial anti-migratory activity in lung cancer cells, but not in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, the extract from Hoengseong county had partial anti-adhesive activity in ovarian cancer cells, however, other extracts did not affect cell adhesion in both lung and ovarian cancer cells. Taken together, these findings provide the first description of anti-tumor efficacy of C. lanceolata from different production places in Korea, and suggest that C. lanceolata from Hoengseong county may have therapeutic potential in lung and ovarian cancers.

The phenethyl ester of caffeic acid (CAPE), an active component of honeybee propolis extract, is shown to inhibit cancer growth previously. However, studies on human ovarian cancer are largely obscure. This study evaluated the effects of CAPE as a potenti

Ovarian cancer is a significant cause of cancer-related death in women, but the main biological causes remain open questions. Hormonal factors have been considered to be an important determinant causing ovarian cancer. Recent studies have shown that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-I and its analogs have clinically therapeutic value in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In addition, numerous studies have shown that the potential of GnRH-II in normal reproductive system or reproductive disorder. GnRH-I receptors have been detected in approximately 80% of ovarian cancer biopsy specimens as well as normal ovarian epithelial cells and immortalized ovarian surface epithelium cells. GnRH-II receptors have also been found to be more widely expressed than GnRH-I receptors in mammals, suggesting that GnRH receptors may have additional functions in reproductive system including ovarian cancer. The signal transduction pathway following the binding of GnRH to GnRH receptor has been extensively studied. The activation of protein kinase A/C (PKA/PKC) pathway is involved in the GnRH-I induced anti-proliferative effect in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, GnRH-I induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation plays a role in anti-proliferative effect and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells and the activation of transcriptional factors related to cellular responses. However, the role of GnRH-I and II receptors, there are discrepancies between previous reports. In this review, the role of GnRH in ovarian cancer and the mechanisms to induce anti-proliferation were evaluated.

Ovarian cancer is the most fetal gynecological malignancy leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Diagnosis of ovarian cancer is hard at an early stage when 90% of patients can be cure due to lack of symptom and early detection markers. Therefore, most of patients with this disease are detected at advanced stage (Stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ) occurring low survival rate (< 30%). More than 90% of ovarian carcinomas are originated from ovarian surface epithelium and it is called as epithelial-derived ovarian cancer (EOC). Recently, previous studies have been showed ovarian cancer could arise from oviduct and oviduct-related genes are up-regulated in hen EOC, the most relevant animal model. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine: 1) the distribution and localization of oviduct developmental-regulatory genes including A2M, GAL11, SERPINB3, SERPINB11 and SPP1 in normal and cancerous ovaries of laying hens; 2) the expression pattern of target genes among normal and cancerous ovarian cells of hens and human ovarian cancer cell lines; and 3) the functional role of target gene in human EOC. Results of the present study showed five genes were abundant only in the glandular epithelium of cancerous ovaries of hens. And SERPINB3 was abundant in the nucleus of both chicken and human ovarian cancer cells whereas SERPINB11 was abundant in the cytoplasm. Further, several microRNAs were discovered to influence SERPINB3, GAL11 and SPP1 expression via their 3’-UTR which suggest that post-transcriptional regulation influences target gene expression in chickens. Moreover, in 109 human patients with EOC, 15 (13.8%), 66 (60.6%) and 28 (25.7%) patients showed weak, moderate and strong expression of SERPINB3 protein, respectively. Strong expression of SERPINB3 protein was a prognostic factor for platinum resistance, and for poor progression-free survival. Therefore, oviduct developmental-regulatory genes, especially SERPINB3, may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis and be a novel biomarker for predicting platinum resistance and a poor prognosis for survival in patients with EOC.

세포 사멸(apoptosis)은 세포의 항상성을 적절하게 유지하기 위한 중요한 메커니즘이다. BCL-2 family 단백질들은 세포의 생존과 세포 사멸을 조절하는 중요한 단백질이다. MCL-1 단백질은 세포의 생존을 촉진시키는 기능을 하는 pro-survival BCL-2 family member이며, 난소암, 혈액암, 자궁 경부암과 같은 다양한 암 조직에서 높게 발현하고 있다. 이전 연구에서, 본 연구진에 의해서 IEX-1 단백질은 MCL-1의 결합