Relationship between RANTES and dendritic cells in ovarian cancer patients

This study was undertaken to evaluate RANTES levels in the peritoneal fluid (PF) and plasma of patients with ovarian cancer (n=73), serous cystadenoma (n=32) or normal controls (n=9). RANTES levels were correlated to myeloid and lymphoid dendritic cells (DCs). RANTES levels were evaluated using the ELISA assay. DCs were quantified using flow cytometry. The PF and plasma RANTES concentrations were elevated in the ovarian cancer (OVC) patients when compared to the patients with benign tumor (the reference group). Plasma levels of RANTES were higher in OVC patients compared with the reference group and with the controls. There were no significant differences in the plasma RANTES levels based on tumor stage, grade or histology. Women with serous cystadenocarcinoma, clear cell carcinoma and endometrioid cystadenocarcinoma had significantly higher PF RANTES levels than patients with undifferentiated carcinoma. Women with clear cell carcinoma and patients with endometrioid cystadenocarcinoma had higher PF RANTES levels than women with mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. We concluded that RANTES production in the peritoneal cavities of OVC patients depends on the histological type of the tumor cells.