Abstract A015: Age-associated molecular changes may predispose the ovary to malignant transformation leading to ovarian cancer (OVCA)
Authors: Ramirez Jessica , Paris Elizabeth , Basu Sanjib , Barua Animesh 
Published: January 2023

Background: Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is a fatal malignancy of women which in most cases is a disease of postmenopausal women. Thus, age-associated changes in women may predispose them to malignancy. Persistent high levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a feature of aging and we have shown that aging was associated with increased expression of inflammatory cytokine interleukin 16 (IL-16) and glucose regulatory protein (GRP78), a marker of cellular stress. It is possible that age-associated increased expression of IL-16 and GRP78 might be involved in production of mutagenic 8-OXO-2dG or its cognate enzyme OGG1 and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as markers of DNA repair mechanisms. The goal of this study was to determine the mechanism of age-associated malignant transformation in the ovary. Materials and Methods: Exploratory study: Archived tissue specimens were selected for immunohistochemical, immunoblotting, genomic studies and immunoassays based on the review of their hematoxylin and eosin staining and final Pathological reports. Specimens were grouped as normal premenopausal women (30-50 years old), normal postmenopausal women (55-85 years old) and ovarian high grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). In vitro study: human ovarian surface epithelium (HOSE) cells were treated with or without FSH for 24 hours, and their cytoplasmic and nuclear fractionations together with that of OVCAR3 (HGSC cell line) cells were extracted. Expression of markers of inflammation (IL-16), oxidative stress (SOD2, GRP78), DNA adducts (8-OXO-2dG/OGG1, MDA) and epigenetics (HDAC1, gH2AX) and were examined. Significant differences in expression of different markers among different age groups and ovarian HGSC, and treated or control OVCAR3 cells were determined by ANOVA and t-tests. Results: Compared with premenopausal women, expression of markers of inflammation and oxidative stress including IL-16, GRP78, SOD2, 8-OXO-2dG/OGG1, MDA as well as markers of epigenetic changes including HDAC1 and gH2AX was significantly higher (&lt;0.0001) in a subset of postmenopausal women. Similar patterns of expression were also observed in patients with ovarian HGSC. Nuclear expression of mutagenic DNA adducts (OGG1, MDA) and inhibitor of DNA damage repair mechanism (GRP78) enhanced during aging. Thus, age-associated inflammation and oxidative stress are predispositions to malignant transformation. This assumption is based on the observation from the treatment of HOSE cells with FSH which showed increased expression of the above markers as also observed in OVCAR3 cells. Conclusion: Expression of IL-16, GRP78, SOD2, 8-OXO-2dG/OGG1, MDA and HDAC1 increased in ovary during aging. These results suggest that aging is associated with persistent inflammation and oxidative stress in ovarian tissues, which predisposes these tissues to malignant transformation leading to OVCA development. Support: NIH/NCI: CA210370

Citation Format: Jessica Ramirez, Elizabeth Paris, Sanjib Basu, Animesh Barua. Age-associated molecular changes may predispose the ovary to malignant transformation leading to ovarian cancer (OVCA) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Aging and Cancer; 2022 Nov 17-20; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;83(2 Suppl_1):Abstract nr A015.