Skip to Content
Merck
  • Malignant ascites: a source of therapeutic protein against ovarian cancer?

Malignant ascites: a source of therapeutic protein against ovarian cancer?

Oncotarget (2019-11-02)
Pascale Ribaux, Aurore Britan, Gabriele Thumann, Florence Delie, Patrick Petignat, Marie Cohen
ABSTRACT

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. Some ovarian cancer patients present large amount of ascites at the time of diagnosis which may play an active role in tumor development. In earlier studies, we demonstrated that the acellular fraction of ascites can induce apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. The current study identifies pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF) as the molecule responsible for the apoptotic effect of ascites and evaluates the Sleeping Beauty transposon (SBT) system as a new tool for PEDF gene therapy against ovarian cancer. We utilize gel filtration, mass spectrometry, affinity column, cell viability assay, tumor development on chick chorioallantoic membrane and molecular biology techniques for these purposes. PEDF was thus identified as the agent responsible for the effects of ascites on ovarian cancer cell viability and tumor growth. Interestingly, the PEDF expression is decreased in ovarian cancer cells compared to healthy ovarian cells. However, the level of PEDF is higher in ascites than in serum of ovarian cancer patients suggesting that cells present in the tumor environment are able to secrete PEDF. We then used the SBT system to stably induce PEDF expression in ovarian cancer cells. The overexpression of PEDF significantly reduced the tumor growth derived from these cells. In conclusion, the results presented here establish that PEDF is a therapeutic target and that PEDF from ascites or SBT could be utilized as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Phosphoserine antibody produced in rabbit, 250 μg/mL, affinity isolated antibody
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity
Millipore
Protein G Plus/Protein A Agarose Suspension, Protein G PLUS/Protein A-Agarose mixture specifically formulated for immunoprecipitation.
SKU
Pack Size
Availability
Price
Quantity