DNA demethylase expression correlates with lung resistance protein expression in common epithelial ovarian cancers

We examined DNA demethylase (dMTase) expression, a common feature of ovarian cancer, to establish if there is any relationship between gene expression and disease stage, histopathology and survival. We also sought evidence of concurrent dMTase and lung resistance protein (LRP) expression. In 43 epithelial ovarian cancers studied we found that the relative strength of gene expression correlated with disease stage, histology and survival. dMTase expression was positive in 38/43 cases studied (88.4%). We also identified a significant correlation between dMTase and LRP expression. In 80% of cases where dMTase was not expressed, LRP was not found. Conversely, 70% of cases where dMTase expression was positive were also LRP-positive. We also identified a weak trend indicating that dMTase expression may occur more frequently in cases of endometrioid and serous adenocarcinoma. The expression of dMTase is a common feature of ovarian cancer and there is a correlation between dMTase and LRP expression, suggesting that there may be an epigenetic upregulation of the gene.