ANALYSIS OF CYCLIN-E AND CDK2 IN OVARIAN-CANCER - GENE AMPLIFICATION AND RNA OVEREXPRESSION

Cyclins and their associated kinases (cdks) play a key role in control ling the cell cycle, a process whose disregulation can potentially lea d to uncontrolled cell growth and hence to cancer, We have studied the role of both cyclin E and its associated kinase cdk2 in ovarian cance r. Primary, metastatic, recurrent and benign ovarian tumors were scree ned for cyclin E and cdk2 gene amplification. Cyclin E was shown to be amplified in 21% and cdk2 in 6.4% of the cases analyzed, Cyclin E and cdk2 RNA expression levels were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PC R analysis in a partially overlapping series of samples and compared t o the expression levels of normal ovarian surface epithelial cells, Cy clin E RNA was overexpressed in 29.5% and cdk2 in 6.5% of ovarian tumo rs tested. We determined that in most cases gene amplification leads t o higher RNA levels for cyclin E and that the overall levels of cyclin E and cdk2 RNA were correlated. We hypothesize that cyclin E and cdk2 are, in part co-regulated and that they may concur to ovarian tumor d evelopment. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.