endothelin-1 and Cystadenocarcinoma

Ovarian tumours have a low incidence in bitch. Endothelin (ET-1) and endothelin A receptor (ET-A) are overexpressed in human ovarian cancer. Twenty canine ovarian tumours and five normal samples were first evaluated by western blotting and then immunohistochemically for ET-1 and ET-A expression. Seventeen out of twenty tumours were ET-1 positive. Eight out of twenty tumours were ET-A immunohistochemically positive. At molecular level both proteins were proven to be expressed in normal as well as in tumour samples. Our results show that ET-1 and ET-A are overexpressed in canine ovarian tumours, suggesting a potential role of these two molecules in canine ovarian carcinogenesis.

Topics: Animals; Carcinoma, Papillary; Cystadenocarcinoma; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Endothelin-1; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Granulosa Cell Tumor; Ovarian Neoplasms; Receptor, Endothelin A