Inhibin-α subunit in normal and malignant human cervical tissue and cervical cancer cell lines

Inhibins are dimeric glycoproteins composed of an α‑subunit and one of two possible β-subunits (βA or βB), with substantial roles in human reproduction and in endocrine-responsive tumours. Four normal cervical tissue samples together with 10 specimens of well-differentiated squamous cervical cancer and adenocarcinoma of the cervix were immunohistochemically analysed for the expression of the inhibin‑α subunit. Additionally, two cervical carcinoma cell lines (HeLa and CaSKi) were analysed with immunofluorescence and RT-PCR for the expression of the inhibin‑α subunit. We demonstrated for the first time an immunolabelling of the inhibin‑α subunit in normal and malignant cervical tissue, as well as cervical cancer cells. However, the immunoreactive reaction was albeit weak and mostly confined to mitotic cells in the analysed cervical tissues. Additionally, the expression pattern of this subunit was rather inconsistent. Therefore, the immunohistochemical evaluation of this subunit in cervical tissue cannot be used as a prognostic marker as suggested for endometrial cancer. However, since the expression of the inhibin‑α subunit is minimal in HeLa cells as assessed by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR, the CaSKi cell line might be a better model for further functional experiments regarding cervical pathogenesis.