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Updated: Sep 20, 2026
Heterotypic Three-dimensional In Vitro Modeling of Stromal-Epithelial Interactions During Ovarian Cancer Initiation and Progression
Published on: August 28, 2012
Expression of cytokines and receptors in normal, immortalized, and malignant ovarian epithelial cell lines
Christina A Bandera1, Hing Wo Tsui, Samuel C Mok
1Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Harvard Center, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. cabandera@partners.org
Background:
Ovarian carcinoma originates from the epithelial cells on the surface of the ovary. This study evaluates cytokine production by these cells.
Materials And Methods:
Normal human ovary surface epithelial cells (HOSE cells), immortalized HOSE cells and ovarian cancer cells were used for the study of cytokines.
Results:
Eight of 14 cytokines were increased in > or = 3 ovarian cancer cell lines compared with normal HOSE cells. Three cytokines were increased 5-fold in the immortalized HOSE cell line and in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines. Cytokine receptor expression revealed that 7 of 8 ovarian cancer cell lines had > or = 1 autocrine loop. Anti-EGFR antibody failed to inhibit growth of ovarian cancer cells which expressed multiple cytokine receptors.
Conclusion:
Ovarian cancer cells produce more cytokines than normal HOSE cells. Immortalized HOSE cells display a cytokine profile similar to the cancer cells. Finally, multiple autocrine loops in ovarian cancer may limit the therapeutic usefulness of single cytokine receptor blockade.
