Overexpression and diffuse expression pattern of IQGAP1 at invasion fronts are independent prognostic parameters in ovarian carcinomas

• Published in: Cancer letters Vol. 243; no. 1; pp. 120 - 127
• Main Authors: Dong, Peixin, Nabeshima, Kazuki, Nishimura, Naoko, Kawakami, Takehito, Hachisuga, Toru, Kawarabayashi, Tatsuhiko, Iwasaki, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 08.11.2006; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Adenoma - metabolism; Adenoma - pathology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cell adhesion; Cell adhesion & migration; Cytoskeleton; Disease Progression; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; IQGAP1; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Mortality; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Ovarian cancer; Ovarian carcinoma; Ovarian Neoplasms - metabolism; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Prognosis; ras GTPase-Activating Proteins - biosynthesis; Tumor invasion; Tumors; Cytoskeleton; IQGAP1; Metastasis; Ovarian carcinoma; Tumor invasion; Cell adhesion
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2005.11.024

IQGAP1 is a multifunctional protein involved in actin cytoskeleton assembly and E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion. To determine the role of IQGAP1 in ovarian tumors, we evaluated IQGAP1 expression by immunohistochemistry in 17 adenomas, 30 borderline tumors and 80 adenocarcinomas and its relation with patient survival. IQGAP1 was overexpressed in adenocarcinomas compared with adenomas and borderline tumors. Enhanced immunostaining in invasive tumor fronts was categorized as focal or diffuse. The diffuse expression pattern correlated with high histological grade and clinicopathological stages. IQGAP1 overexpression and diffuse invasion pattern were significantly associated with poor prognosis by multivariate analysis. Our findings suggest the involvement of IQGAP1 in the progression and spread of ovarian adenocarcinomas. Overexpression and diffuse expression pattern of IQGAP1 are potentially useful independent molecular predictors of highly aggressive ovarian carcinomas.