Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Heterotypic Three-dimensional In Vitro Modeling of Stromal-Epithelial Interactions During Ovarian Cancer Initiation and Progression
Published on: August 28, 2012
Cyclin I correlates with VEGFR-2 and cell proliferation in human epithelial ovarian cancer
Marek Cybulski1, Bożena Jarosz, Andrzej Nowakowski
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Chodźki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland. marek.cybulski.69@gmail.com
Objective:
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of all gynecologic malignancies. It is characterized by the spread of intraperitoneal tumors, accumulation of ascites, and formation of tumor blood vessels. Cyclin I has been linked with angiogenesis-related proteins, like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), in human breast cancer. We examined whether an association exists between expression of cyclin I, VEGFR-2, clinicopathologic parameters and survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).
Methods:
Cyclin I and VEGFR-2 expressions were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 55 human primary EOC tissue specimens.
Results:
Cyclin I immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with VEGFR-2 (R=0.4587, P=0.0004), and immunolabeling of cyclin I and VEGFR-2 significantly correlated with cancer cells' proliferative activity evaluated using cyclin A labeling index as a marker (R=0.3107, P=0.0209 and R=0.4183, P=0.0015, respectively). VEGFR-2 immunostaining was significantly higher in advanced, poorly differentiated, and suboptimally resected EOCs compared to their counterparts (P<0.05). Finally, higher VEGFR-2 expression was significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival (P=0.0437).
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that elevated expression of cyclin I and VEGFR-2 is likely to provide a proliferative advantage to the EOC cells, and that cyclin I may be linked with angiogenesis in EOC. Higher expression of VEGFR-2 is associated with more advanced disease. Further investigation of cyclin I in ovarian cancer is needed to evaluate if cyclin I may become a novel target for an anticancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
Positive Regulator Molecules
Positive Regulator Molecules
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
The Cell Cycle Control System
The Cell Cycle Control System
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

