GATA-4 and GATA-6 expression in human ovarian surface epithelial carcinoma

GATA-4 and GATA-6 are zinc finger transcription factors named for their recognition motif and involved in ovarian development and function. GATA factors are strongly expressed and primarily localized within the nuclei of ovarian surface epithelial cells. GATA factors have been previously shown to be expressed in sex-cord stromal ovarian tumors and may contribute to the tumor phenotype. Differential expression of GATA-4 within serous and mucinous ovarian carcinomas has been reported. Using immunohistochemistry, we studied GATA-4 and GATA-6 expression in 50 ovarian surface epithelial carcinomas and examined the relationship to clinicopathologic parameters and outcome. We found that the majority of the carcinomas retained GATA-4 expression, whereas approximately two-thirds of the carcinomas had mislocalization or loss of GATA-6 expression. No statistically significant correlations were found between histologic type, histologic grade, or patient outcome and GATA-4. Cytoplasmic GATA-6 expression tended to correlate with overall survival (P=0.0756). These findings suggest that although GATA factors play a role in ovarian surface epithelial carcinoma oncogenesis, they do not seem to affect clinicopathologic parameters.