Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 14, 2026

In vivo Imaging and Therapeutic Treatments in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ovarian Cancer
07:46

In vivo Imaging and Therapeutic Treatments in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Ovarian Cancer

Published on: August 17, 2010

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FOXA1 in Ovarian Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target to Enhance Immunotherapy Efficacy

Taewan Kim1, Jaesung Ryu2, Hyejeong Kong2

  • 1Future Innovation Medical Research Center, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan 31151, Republic of Korea.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|February 13, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) drives ovarian cancer progression and metastasis. Inhibiting FOXA1 may improve immunotherapy and chemotherapy effectiveness in ovarian cancer patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Ovarian cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality.
  • Identifying novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
  • The role of FOXA1 (forkhead box A1) in ovarian cancer progression is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the oncogenic role of FOXA1 in ovarian cancer.
  • To evaluate FOXA1 as a potential therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker.
  • To determine if FOXA1 inhibition can enhance sensitivity to immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of FOXA1 expression in 76 ovarian tissue samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC).
  • Functional studies involving FOXA1 siRNA in ovarian cancer cell lines (SK-OV3, HEYA8).
  • Assessment of cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene expression, and response to carboplatin and atezolizumab.

Main Results:

  • FOXA1 expression was significantly higher in malignant ovarian tissues and correlated with tumor stage.
  • FOXA1 silencing reduced proliferation, migration, and invasion by 60-80% and downregulated EMT markers.
  • FOXA1 inhibition enhanced ovarian cancer cell responsiveness to atezolizumab and reduced resistance to carboplatin.

Conclusions:

  • FOXA1 is an oncogenic driver in ovarian cancer, promoting proliferation, invasion, and EMT.
  • Overexpressed FOXA1 correlates with ovarian cancer progression, indicating its potential as a biomarker.
  • Targeting FOXA1 offers a promising strategy to enhance immunotherapy and overcome chemoresistance in ovarian cancer.
Keywords:
FOXA1biomarkerchemoresistanceforkhead box A1immune checkpoint inhibitoroncogeneovarian cancer

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