Inhibin-activin receptor subunit gene expression in ovarian tumors

Granulosa cell tumors of the ovary (GCT) express the inhibin subunit genes and secrete dimeric inhibin. Transgenic mice null for the alpha-inhibin gene develop GCT. It has been suggested that this apparent contradiction may be reconciled if the human GCT are resistant to the tumor-suppressive effects of inhibin. Inhibin receptors have recently been characterized as consisting of either betaglycan or p120 in association with the type II or type I activin receptor subunits (ActR), respectively. To test the hypothesis that GCT may exhibit loss of inhibin receptor expression we have examined the expression of the receptor subunits in a cohort of GCT and in mucinous and serous cystadenocarcinomas and normal ovary. Expression was determined by RT-PCR using gene-specific primers and probes combined with Southern blot analysis of the PCR products. The ActRI subunits and ActRIIA exhibited widespread albeit variable expression across tissues, with the highest levels in the serous tumors. ActRIIB expression was relatively low in the mucinous tumors and high in the GCT. Betaglycan expression was abundant, widespread, and variable across all tissues; highest mean levels occurred in the GCT and normal ovary. p120 expression was low or absent in all tissues except the GCT. Within the GCT there was parallel expression of the ActR subunits, betaglycan and p120; the levels, however, varied considerably between tumors. Expression of betaglycan and p120 in most GCT argues against the hypothesis, but does not exclude the possibility that low or absent expression of p120 might be significant in a subset of these tumors.