Krämer S, Leeker M, Jäger W
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
Int J Biol Markers. 1998 Jul-Sep;13(3):165-8.
Gonadotropins can stimulate ovarian cancer growth in cell cultures. Corresponding LH/hCG receptors have been demonstrated in ovarian cancer. However, reduction of elevated serum gonadotropins by GnRH analogs in ovarian cancer patients did not lead to growth restriction, which means that serum levels of gonadotropins may not play the most important role in ovarian cancer. We therefore analyzed the LH and FSH concentrations in cyst fluids of ovarian cancer. Patients with preoperatively diagnosed cystic ovarian tumors were eligible for the study. Serum samples of the patients were obtained during surgery, while the fluids within the cysts were aspirated after surgical removal of the tumor. FSH and LH levels in serum and cyst fluids were measured using single antibody EIA (Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Germany). Cyst fluids and sera of 108 patients were evaluated. While there were no significant differences in the FSH and LH serum concentrations, highly significant differences in the FSH and LH levels in cyst fluids were found. Only cancer cysts contained FSH and LH, while the corresponding concentrations in benign cysts were always below the measuring range of the assays. This clear division between high gonadotropin levels in cysts of serous ovarian cancer and low or absent concentrations in benign ovarian tumors further supports the hypothesis that FSH and LH may play a role in ovarian cancer; however, explanations for this surprising finding are still lacking.
促性腺激素可在细胞培养中刺激卵巢癌生长。卵巢癌中已证实存在相应的促黄体生成素/人绒毛膜促性腺激素（LH/hCG）受体。然而，卵巢癌患者使用促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）类似物降低升高的血清促性腺激素水平并未导致肿瘤生长受限，这意味着血清促性腺激素水平在卵巢癌中可能并非起最重要作用。因此，我们分析了卵巢癌囊液中的LH和FSH浓度。术前诊断为卵巢囊性肿瘤的患者符合本研究条件。患者的血清样本在手术期间采集，而肿瘤手术切除后抽取囊内液体。血清和囊液中的FSH和LH水平采用单克隆抗体酶免疫测定法（德国宝灵曼公司）进行检测。对108例患者的囊液和血清进行了评估。虽然血清中FSH和LH浓度无显著差异，但囊液中FSH和LH水平存在高度显著差异。仅癌性囊肿含有FSH和LH，而良性囊肿中的相应浓度始终低于检测方法的测量范围。浆液性卵巢癌囊肿中促性腺激素水平高与良性卵巢肿瘤中浓度低或无之间的这种明显区分进一步支持了FSH和LH可能在卵巢癌中起作用的假说；然而，对于这一惊人发现仍缺乏解释。
