Changes in gene expression during progression of ovarian carcinoma

The molecular events leading to the development and progression of serous o varian carcinoma are not completely understood. We performed a large scale survey for the identification of differentially expressed genes in serous o varian carcinoma by using cDNA array analysis. Differences in gene expressi on between serous adenocarcinoma and benign serous adenoma, and between adv anced and/or moderately or poorly differentiated and local, highly differen tiated serous adenocarcinoma were assessed. The most striking difference be tween adenocarcinoma and benign adenoma was upregulation of RHOGDI2 in the carcinomas irrespective of the clinical tumor stage. Other changes in carci noma were upregulation of MET and Ne-dlg, and downregulation of HG-FAC, des min, and PDGFA. The most prominent differences between advanced and local a denocarcinoma were upregulation of COL3A1, CFGR, and MET in advanced carcin oma, and down-regulation of HGFAC, FZD3, and BFL1 in the same tumors. In co nclusion, significant differences were found in the gene expression between benign and malignant serous ovarian tumors, and between local, highly diff erentiated and advanced and/or moderately or poorly differentiated serous a denocarcinomas. The differentially expressed genes may be related to the ca rcinogenesis and progression of the malignant growth. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Inc. All rights reserved.