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Ezrin Overexpression by Transformed Human Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells, Ovarian Cleft Cells, and Serous Ovarian Adenocarcinoma Cells

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Abstract

Objectives

We have shown that ezrin expression correlates with ovarian epithelial cancer (OVCA) cell proliferation and metastatic behavior. In this study, we evaluated ezrin expression in transformed ovarian superficial epithelial cells (OSE) in ovarian clefts and in culture.

Study Design

Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for immunoreactive ezrin (ir-ezrin) in normal ovarian tissue, cultured OSE, and ovarian epithelial cancer cells.

Results

While ir-ezrin was not demonstrable in normal cuboidal surface cells or interior ovarian organelles, cells lining the ovarian clefts strongly expressed ir-ezrin. Long-term culture of OSE increased ezrin expression and cytological abnormalities. Administration of estradiol and insulin at levels reported in inclusions dramatically induced OSE ir-ezrin expression to OVCA levels and membrane specializations; ruffling, pseudopodia and filopodia. Moreover epidermal growth factor (EGF) drastically increased ezrin translocation in OSE cells in a time-dependent manner.

Conclusions

Ezrin expression by OSE increases during transformation.  Ezrin expression is responsive to estradiol and growth factors previously shown to be present in ovarian inclusions. These findings suggest that the microenvironment in ovarian inclusions and clefts contributes to the development of OVCA. Our findings elaborate on the mechanism of the ovarian origin of OVCA.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Zhaocong Chen MD, PhD

    Present address: Current Address: Department of Molecular Biology, Tongji University Medical School, Wuhan, China

  2. Emine Ulukus MD

    Present address: Current Address: Department of Pathology, Eylul University, School of Medicine, 35340, Turkey

  3. Kaori Ohtani MD

    Present address: Current Address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Oyaguchi-kamimachi, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Ahmed Fadiel PhD, Mehrangiz Hatami MD & Frederick Naftolin MD, PhD

  2. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Ahmed Fadiel PhD, Zhaocong Chen MD, PhD, Kaori Ohtani MD & Frederick Naftolin MD, PhD

  3. Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Emine Ulukus MD

  4. NYU Langone Medical Center, 550 First Avenue TH528, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Frederick Naftolin MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Ahmed Fadiel PhD
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  2. Zhaocong Chen MD, PhD
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  3. Emine Ulukus MD
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  6. Frederick Naftolin MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frederick Naftolin MD, PhD.

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Fadiel, A., Chen, Z., Ulukus, E. et al. Ezrin Overexpression by Transformed Human Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells, Ovarian Cleft Cells, and Serous Ovarian Adenocarcinoma Cells. Reprod. Sci. 19, 797–805 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719111433884

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719111433884

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