fibrinopeptide-a and Ovarian-Neoplasms

We evaluated the differentially expressed proteins in the plasma of ovarian cancer (OVC) patients using 2-D SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with post-translational modification (PTM) specific stains after the removal of six high-abundance proteins. The pooled plasma from patients with stage III or IV OVC was compared to a pooled postmenopausal age-matched control. Several proteins were identified as differentially expressed in the plasma of OVC patients. Among them, the phosphorylated fibrinogen-alpha-chain isoform (containing fibrinopeptide-A) was found to be up-regulated. Previously in our laboratory, phosphorylated fibrinopeptide-A was found to be up-regulated in the low molecular weight fraction of serum derived from OVC patients. We examined the levels of phosphorylated fibrinogen-alpha-chain in each patient that constituted the pooled plasma using Western blot, mass spectrometry (MS), and PTM specific stains. Phosphoprotein bands containing fibrinogen-alpha-chain fragments showed up-regulation in all OVC patients.

Topics: Aged; Blood Proteins; Blotting, Western; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Computational Biology; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; Female; Fibrinopeptide A; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms

The preoperative plasma levels of fibrinopeptide-A (FPA), D-dimer (DD), and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) were measured in 125 patients with ovarian masses undergoing laparotomy and in 88 healthy nonpregnant women as controls. FPA, DD, and vWF levels were significantly higher in the 58 patients with ovarian carcinoma than in the 67 patients with benign ovarian disease or controls. FPA and DD values were significantly higher in advanced (FIGO stage III-IV) than in early ovarian carcinoma. Among patients with advanced disease, FPA and DD levels correlated with none of the common clinicopathological prognostic variables; conversely, vWF values were related to FIGO stage (IV versus III, P < 0.02) and size of residual disease after initial surgery (> 2 cm versus < or = 2 cm, P < 0.05). In conclusion, increased fibrin production and degradation occur in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Fibrin; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; Fibrinopeptide A; Humans; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Ovarian Diseases; Ovarian Neoplasms; Predictive Value of Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; von Willebrand Factor

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Fibrinogen; Fibrinopeptide A; Fibrinopeptide B; Humans; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Ovary; Tissue Plasminogen Activator; Veins

Ascitic fluid from patients with ovarian cancer contains high levels of fibrin(ogen) degradation products (FDP). Crosslinked fibrin derivatives were isolated by precipitation and separated by PAA-gel-electrophoresis. In order to evaluate the submolecular structure the total precipitate and single derivatives were investigated after cleavage of the disulfide bonds. The findings are related to the radioimmunological measurements of certain fibrinopeptides. Tumor ascites contains approximately ten times higher levels of crosslinked fibrin derivatives than cirrhosis ascites. The fibrinopeptide A content is similar, whereas the levels of plasmin-induced alpha-chain fragment are significantly higher in tumor ascites. The findings suggest a catabolism of fibrinogen in ascitic fluid via coagulation and fibrinolysis. In tumor ascites fibrinogen is catabolized to a significantly higher degree via the degradation of crosslinked fibrin. Crosslinked fibrin derivatives may therefore be usable as non-carcinoembryogenic tumor markers.

Topics: Ascites; Ascitic Fluid; Female; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; Fibrinogen; Fibrinopeptide A; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Ovarian Neoplasms