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Basic Science
The Significance of VSIG4 Expression in Ovarian Cancer
  1. Jung Mi Byun, MD, PhD*,†,
  2. Dae Hoon Jeong, MD, PhD*,†,
  3. In Hak Choi, MD, PhD‡,§,
  4. Dae Sim Lee, MS*,†,
  5. Mi Seon Kang, MD, PhD∥,
  6. Keun Ok Jung, PhD‡,§,
  7. You Kyung Jeon, PhD‡,§,
  8. Young Nam Kim, MD, PhD*,†,
  9. Eun Jung Jung, MD*,
  10. Kyung Bok Lee, MD, PhD*,†,
  11. Moon Su Sung, MD, PhD*,† and
  12. Ki Tae Kim, MD, PhD*,†
  1. *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
  2. †Paik Institute for Clinical Research,
  3. ‡Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
  4. §Advanced Research Center for Multiple Myeloma, and
  5. ∥Department of Pathology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dae Hoon Jeong, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 75 Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 473920, Republic of Korea. E-mail: dhjeong@inje.ac.kr; In Hak Choi, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, 75 Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 473920, Republic of Korea. E-mail: miccih@inje.ac.kr.

Abstract

Objectives The protein V-set and Ig domain-containing 4 (VSIG4), a novel B7 family-related macrophage protein with the capacity to inhibit T-cell activation, has a potential role in cancer. Here we suggest its possibility as a therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker of ovarian cancer.

Methods Between January 2011 and June 2015, tumor tissues and peripheral blood samples were obtained during surgery from 10 patients with benign ovarian tumors and 22 patients with ovarian cancers. Messenger RNA and protein expression levels of VSIG4 in benign tumor and cancer tissues were examined by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Soluble VSIG4 concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between VSIG4 expression and the prognosis of ovarian cancer was analyzed according to the patients' clinicopathologic characteristics.

Results VSIG4 messenger RNA and protein expression levels in ovarian cancer tissues were higher than those in benign ovarian tumors (P = 0.0013 and 0.0001, respectively). Soluble VSIG4 concentrations were increased in patients with ovarian cancer compared with that in patients with benign ovarian tumors (P = 0.0452). Moreover, soluble VSIG4 levels were significantly increased in advanced-stage and recurrent ovarian cancer (P = 0.0244 and 0.0288, respectively). High VSIG4 expression of cancer tissue and low VSIG4 expression of plasma (soluble VSIG4) were associated with a longer disease-free interval (P = 0.0246 and 0.0398, respectively).

Conclusions VSIG4 is overexpressed in ovarian cancers compared with that in benign tumors. This finding supports VSIG4 being used as a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer. Furthermore, soluble VSIG4 levels are associated with the progression and recurrence of ovarian cancer, indicating that soluble VSIG4 may be used as a potential biomarker for predicting tumor prognosis.

  • Ovarian cancer
  • Biomarker
  • Therapeutic target
  • VSIG4

https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0000000000000979

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    Footnotes

    • Supported by 2014 research grant from Inje University Busan Paik Hospital.

    • The authors declare no conflicts of interest.