MESSENGER-RIBONUCLEIC-ACID EXPRESSION OF LH HCG RECEPTOR GENE IN HUMAN OVARIAN CARCINOMAS/

The mRNA expression of luteinizing hormone (LH)/human chorionic gonado tropin (hCG) receptors was analysed by the RT-nested PCR method in fiv e normal ovarian tissues, 62 ovarian tumours (5 benign, 7 borderline a nd 43 malignant epithelial tumours, 3 sex cord-stromal tumours and 4 g erm cell tumours) and in 2 ovarian cancer cell lines. In normal ovarie s, two cDNA fragments of different sizes were detected using primers d esigned to amplify a region including exon 9. Sequencing revealed that the larger fragment was derived from a full-length receptor, while th e smaller fragment was a splice variant lacking exon 9. In ovarian tum ours, the larger fragment of LH/hCG receptors was detected in 40% of t he epithelial ovarian carcinomas, none of the germ cell tumours, all o f the sex cord-stromal tumours and one of the 2 ovarian cancer cell li nes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the localisation of LH/hCG recepto r protein in the tumour cells which correlated with mRNA expression. P atients with full-length LH/hCG receptors in carcinomas showed a bette r prognosis compared with those without the receptors. (C) 1997 Elsevi er Science Ltd.