Overexpression of Serine Proteases in Ovarian Cancer Shelley Campeau Cellular and Developmental Biology Major University of California at Santa Barbara Figure 1. Female reproductive organs [Campbell, 1998].

Topics Overview of Ovarian Cancer Role of Serine Proteases in Ovarian Tumor Growth Two Experiments Showing Serine Protease Expression in Ovarian Cancer

Why Study Serine Proteases?  Allows growth and spread of ovarian cancer.  Produced early in tumor formation and can be detected early.  Inhibiting serine proteases may possibly stop ovarian tumor formation.

Overview: Ovarian Cancer Definition: Cancer that forms in the cells surrounding the ovaries. 5 year survival rate for women with ovarian cancer is below 50% Figure 2. Stains of a normal ovary and an ovarian tumor for serine proteases [Underwood, 2000].

How Ovarian Cancer Invades: Initiates development around ovaries. Tumor cells can break off and spread to other sites. Secondary tumors can form. Figure 3. Metastasis and the spreading of cancer [McKinnell, 1998].

Role of Serine Proteases: What are they? Enzymes involved in the breakdown of proteins in extracellular compartments. Function in tumor growth: Breakdown extracellular components surrounding ovaries Allows tumor cells to rapidly divide Tumor cells can break off and travel to different locations to spread cancer  

Serine Proteases: Potential for Diagnosis and Treatment If: Normal cells + Serine Proteases  Tumor cell growth and progression of cancer. Then: Normal cells + Inhibited Serine Proteases  PREVENT TUMOR GROWTH!

Experiment 1: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Process: Amplify serine protease gene from ovarian tumor and normal ovary tissue. Separate products obtained from experiment based on size. Look for band size of serine protease expression: 180bp Results: Band size of serine protease expression is found in ovarian cancer tissue but not in normal ovary tissue. Figure 4. PCR for a serine protease. Normal ovary in left lane, ovarian tumor in right lane [Underwood, 2000].

Experiment 2: Northern Blot Analyses Process: Separates RNA fragments of a tissue sample based on size. A probe for a specific region of RNA hybridizes to the corresponding fragment. TADGTestisin Figure 5. Northern blot analyses of serine proteases: TADG [Underwood, 2000] and Testisin [Shigemasa,2000]. Results: Bands found in ovarian cancer tissue and not in significant levels in normal ovary tissue.

Conclusion  Serine proteases aid in the development of ovarian cancer.  Used as a tumor marker, serine proteases may be used to help identify cancer before it is too late.