Expression of CD44(v5-10) splicing variants in primary ovarian cancer and lymph node metastases

This study was designed to detect the expression of CD44v splicing variants in primary ovarian carcinomas and their lymph node metastases, in order to evaluate the possible role in intraperitoneal and lymphogenic metastasization.

Paraffin-embedded tissue of 50 patients with ovarian cancer was available from both the primary tumors and from the lymph node metastases. The expression of the CD44 standard from (CD44s) and of the variant isoforms CD44v5, CD44v6, CD44v7 and 8, and CD44v10 was investigated in the tumor cell regions by immunohistochemistry.

45/50 (90%) primary ovarian carcinomas were found to be immunohistochemically positive for the CD44v5 splicing variant; 10 (20%) tumors expressed both CD44v5 and CD44v6. Apart from an additional v7 stain, all of the ovarian carcinomas studied were negative for the splicing variants v7, v7-8 and v10. No differences were revealed in the pattern of CD44 variants expression investigated in primary tumors and in the lymph node metastases.

In ovarian cancer the expression of CD44v5 as a possible first step, as well as CD44v6, probably plays an important role in intraperitoneal implantation. In view of the comparatively heterogeneous expression patterns of CD44v in individual organs, it may be assumed that there are organ-specific differences in this respect, and that the invasion potential is influenced by both the expression pattern and the extent of expression.