[Expression of survivin gene and its relation with the expression of bcl-2 and bax protein in epithelial ovarian cancer].

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of apoptosis related gene survivin and its relation with expression of bcl-2, bax protein in epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Expression of survivin gene was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 35 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, and compared with that in 10 cases of borderline cancer, 10 cases of benign tumors and 10 cases of normal tissue. Expression of bcl-2 and bax was detected by immunohistochemistry streptomycin-avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (SABC) method, and correlation between them was analyzed.

RESULTS

Expression of survivin gene was detected in a significantly greater proportion in epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline tumors than benign tumors and normal tissue. There was no relationship between survivin gene expression and FIGO stage, histologic grade, pathological type and lymphatic metastasis. Expression of bcl-2 and bax protein was positively and negatively correlated with expression of survivin gene respectively.

CONCLUSION

survivin gene may play an important role in pathogenesis of ovarian cancer, apoptosis related gene bcl-2 may have a synergic role and bax have an antagonistic role with survivin gene in formation and progression of ovarian cancer.