Abstract
Introduction: The polycomb group (PcG) proteins form chromatin-modifying complexes that are commonly deregulated in cancer. The PcG protein BMI-I is overexpressed by various tumours and thus may contribute to malignant transformation. The current study investigated the expression of BMI-I in human specimens of breast, ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: Expression of BMI-I was evaluated in human ovarian cancer samples by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) and compared to healthy ovarian tissue. BMI-I expression in human specimens of breast, endometrial and cervical cancer was evaluated by IHC and then compared with the respective benign tissues. Results: BMI-I was significantly (p<0.05) overexpressed in human breast, ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer specimens as compared to benign controls. BMI-I expression was also more pronounced in the ovarian cancer samples as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. In human breast cancer samples, BMI-I expression was most pronounced in the invasion front of the tumour. Conclusion: The current study showed for the first time that the BMI-I protein is significantly overexpressed in ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer and may thus be a potential target for novel antitumor therapies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Anticancer Research |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1559-1564 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISSN | 0250-7005 |
| Publication status | Published - 01.05.2010 |
Research Areas and Centers
- Research Area: Luebeck Integrated Oncology Network (LION)
