McGrath, Sophie, Annels, Nicola, Madhuri, Thumuluru, Tailor, Anil, Butler-Manuel, Simon, Morgan, Richard ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8721-4479, Pandha, Hardev and Michael, Agnieszka (2018) Engrailed-2 (EN2) - a novel biomarker in epithelial ovarian cancer. BMC cancer, 18 (1).

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Abstract

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer is a common malignancy, with no clinically approved diagnostic biomarker. Engrailed-2 (EN2) is a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, essential during embryological neural development, which is dysregulated in several cancer types. We evaluated the expression of EN2 in Epithelial ovarian cancer, and reviewed its role as a biomarker.
Methods: We evaluated 8 Epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines, along with > 100 surgical specimens from the Royal
Surrey County Hospital (2009–2014). In total, 108 tumours and 5 normal tissue specimens were collected. En2 mRNA was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Histological sub-type, and platinum-sensitive/−resistant status
were compared. Protein expression was assessed in cell lines (immunofluorescence), and in > 150 tumours (immunohistochemistry).
Results: En2 mRNA expression was elevated in serous ovarian tumours compared with normal ovary (p < 0.001),
particularly in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (p < 0.0001) and in platinum-resistant tumours (p = 0.0232). Median Overall Survival and Progression-free Survival were reduced with high En2 expression (OS = 28 vs 42 months, p = 0.0329; PFS = 8 vs 27 months; p = 0.0004). Positive cytoplasmic EN2 staining was demonstrated in 78% of Epithelial ovarian cancers, with absence in normal ovary. EN2 positive high-grade serous ovarian cancer
patients had a shorter PFS (10 vs 17.5 months; p = 0.0103).
Conclusion: The EN2 transcription factor is a novel ovarian cancer biomarker. It demonstrates prognostic
value, correlating with worse Overall Survival and Progression-free Survival. It is hoped that further work will validate its use as a biomarker, and provide insight into the role of EN2 in the development, progression and
spread of ovarian cancer.

Item Type:	Article
Identifier:	10.1186/s12885-018-4816-5
Keywords:	Epithelial ovarian cancer, Biomarker, Engrailed-2, Serous, Platinum-resistant
Subjects:	Natural sciences > Cell and molecular biology
Related URLs:	Organisation Publisher
Depositing User:	Richard Morgan
Date Deposited:	08 Jul 2020 13:43
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2024 16:03
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/7099

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