The non-canonical Wnt ligand, Wnt5a, is upregulated and associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition in epithelial ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSION: This study adds to the increasing evidence that Wnt signalling may play an important role in ovarian cancer development. Utilising an unparalleled large cohort of 623 patients, Wnt5a protein expression was shown to be significantly higher in ovarian cancer patients when compared to benign and borderline ovarian tumours and healthy control patients. In addition, we have utilised in vitro models to show for the first time in ovarian cancer that Wnt5a driven non-canonical pathways can alter epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). PMID: 24924122 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24924122?dopt=Abstract

Source: Gynecologic Oncology - June 9, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Ford CE, Punnia-Moorthy G, Henry CE, Llamosas E, Nixdorf S, Olivier J, Caduff R, Ward RL, Heinzelmann-Schwarz V Tags: Gynecol Oncol Source Type: research