Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Integration of Bioinformatics Approaches and Experimental Validations to Understand the Role of Notch Signaling in Ovarian Cancer
Published on: January 12, 2020
Nuclear survivin is associated with malignant potential in epithelial ovarian carcinoma
Xueya Qian1, Xiaowei Xi, Linxia Li
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Survivin is a unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein family. As abnormal inhibition of apoptosis during homeostasis is considered a critical step in the initiation of cancer, we investigated prognostic value of survivin expression in epithelial ovarian carcinomas. We carried out immunohistochemical experiments using a polyclonal antisurvivin antibody to stain formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 91 patients with ovarian tumors, including 10 cystadenomas, 17 borderline tumors, and 64 epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Nuclear and cytoplasmic survivin staining was scored separately. Survivin expression was undetectable in ovarian cystadenomas and was weakly detected in 4 of 17 (23.53%) borderline tumors. In contrast, nuclear and cytoplasmic survivin staining was observed in 55 of 64 (85.94%) epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Scoring on the basis of the percentage of survivin nuclear-positive cells indicated that nuclear survivin expression was associated significantly with clinical stage, histologic grade, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-labeling index, and clinical outcome in ovarian epithelial carcinoma patients (P<0.01). Taken together, the results of this study provide evidence that nuclear survivin expression is a strong, independent prognostic marker for poor clinical outcomes in epithelial ovarian carcinoma.
Related Concept Videos
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Abnormal Proliferation
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

