Emerging Role of Nestin as an Angiogenesis and Cancer Stem Cell Marker in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Immunohistochemical Study

This study aimed to elucidate the status of nestin expression in various epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs), its neoangiogenic properties, and investigate its potential association with clinicopathologic parameters. A total of 80 primary EOCs (37 serous, 20 Mucinous, 13 endometrioid, and 10 clear cell carcinomas) were immunohistochemically stained with nestin. Staining intensity and automated microvascular density (MVD) were assessed. Positive nestin expression was defined in ≈47.5% of all EOC; more commonly in ≈60% of the serous tumors. It was noticeably expressed in tumor spheroids. Nestin expression significantly correlated with overall tumor grade, lymph node, distant metastasis, and stage. Nestin+ neoangiogenesis was detectable in all cases (average=60.1). The nestin expression in tumor cells significantly correlated with Nestin+/MVD. The average Nestin+/MVD was significantly an independent predictor of high tumor stage. As a stem cell marker, nestin is expressed in cells of EOC including those growing as spherules and correlated with poor prognosis. Thus, nestin may be a novel therapeutic target for tumor angiogenesis and a combination therapy that includes nestin-targeting agents may be an effective therapeutic approach. In addition, detection of Nestin+/stem cells and Nestin+/MVD can be used as predictors of disease.
Source: Applied Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology - Category: Chemistry Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research