Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling

Chemerin, a pleiotropic adipokine coded by the <i>RARRES2</i> gene, has been reported to affect the pathophysiology of various cancer entities. To further approach the role of this adipokine in ovarian cancer (OC), intratumoral protein levels of chemerin and its receptor chemokine-like r...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Florian Weber, Susanne Schueler-Toprak, Christa Buechler, Olaf Ortmann, Oliver Treeck
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Diagnostics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/5/944
_version_ 1797615520489406464
author Florian Weber
Susanne Schueler-Toprak
Christa Buechler
Olaf Ortmann
Oliver Treeck
author_facet Florian Weber
Susanne Schueler-Toprak
Christa Buechler
Olaf Ortmann
Oliver Treeck
author_sort Florian Weber
collection DOAJ
description Chemerin, a pleiotropic adipokine coded by the <i>RARRES2</i> gene, has been reported to affect the pathophysiology of various cancer entities. To further approach the role of this adipokine in ovarian cancer (OC), intratumoral protein levels of chemerin and its receptor chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) were examined by immunohistochemistry analyzing tissue microarrays with tumor samples from 208 OC patients. Since chemerin has been reported to affect the female reproductive system, associations with proteins involved in steroid hormone signaling were analyzed. Additionally, correlations with ovarian cancer markers, cancer-related proteins, and survival of OC patients were examined. A positive correlation of chemerin and CMKLR1 protein levels in OC (Spearman’s rho = 0.6, <i>p</i> < 0.0001) was observed. Chemerin staining intensity was strongly associated with the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) (Spearman´s rho = 0.79, <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Both chemerin and CMKLR1 proteins positively correlated with estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and estrogen-related receptors. Neither chemerin nor the CMKLR1 protein level was associated with the survival of OC patients. At the mRNA level, in silico analysis revealed low <i>RARRES2</i> and high <i>CMKLR1</i> expression associated with longer overall survival. The results of our correlation analyses suggested the previously reported interaction of chemerin and estrogen signaling to be present in OC tissue. Further studies are needed to elucidate to which extent this interaction might affect OC development and progression.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T07:27:42Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7877aed129774159820fbc4adad956e5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2075-4418
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T07:27:42Z
publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Diagnostics
spelling doaj.art-7877aed129774159820fbc4adad956e52023-11-17T07:30:18ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182023-03-0113594410.3390/diagnostics13050944Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen SignalingFlorian Weber0Susanne Schueler-Toprak1Christa Buechler2Olaf Ortmann3Oliver Treeck4Institute for Pathology, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine I, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, GermanyChemerin, a pleiotropic adipokine coded by the <i>RARRES2</i> gene, has been reported to affect the pathophysiology of various cancer entities. To further approach the role of this adipokine in ovarian cancer (OC), intratumoral protein levels of chemerin and its receptor chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) were examined by immunohistochemistry analyzing tissue microarrays with tumor samples from 208 OC patients. Since chemerin has been reported to affect the female reproductive system, associations with proteins involved in steroid hormone signaling were analyzed. Additionally, correlations with ovarian cancer markers, cancer-related proteins, and survival of OC patients were examined. A positive correlation of chemerin and CMKLR1 protein levels in OC (Spearman’s rho = 0.6, <i>p</i> < 0.0001) was observed. Chemerin staining intensity was strongly associated with the expression of progesterone receptor (PR) (Spearman´s rho = 0.79, <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Both chemerin and CMKLR1 proteins positively correlated with estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and estrogen-related receptors. Neither chemerin nor the CMKLR1 protein level was associated with the survival of OC patients. At the mRNA level, in silico analysis revealed low <i>RARRES2</i> and high <i>CMKLR1</i> expression associated with longer overall survival. The results of our correlation analyses suggested the previously reported interaction of chemerin and estrogen signaling to be present in OC tissue. Further studies are needed to elucidate to which extent this interaction might affect OC development and progression.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/5/944chemerinchemokine-like receptor 1estrogen-related receptorsovarian canceroverall survivalprogression-free survival
spellingShingle Florian Weber
Susanne Schueler-Toprak
Christa Buechler
Olaf Ortmann
Oliver Treeck
Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
Diagnostics
chemerin
chemokine-like receptor 1
estrogen-related receptors
ovarian cancer
overall survival
progression-free survival
title Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
title_full Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
title_fullStr Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
title_full_unstemmed Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
title_short Chemerin and Chemokine-like Receptor 1 Expression in Ovarian Cancer Associates with Proteins Involved in Estrogen Signaling
title_sort chemerin and chemokine like receptor 1 expression in ovarian cancer associates with proteins involved in estrogen signaling
topic chemerin
chemokine-like receptor 1
estrogen-related receptors
ovarian cancer
overall survival
progression-free survival
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/13/5/944
work_keys_str_mv AT florianweber chemerinandchemokinelikereceptor1expressioninovariancancerassociateswithproteinsinvolvedinestrogensignaling
AT susanneschuelertoprak chemerinandchemokinelikereceptor1expressioninovariancancerassociateswithproteinsinvolvedinestrogensignaling
AT christabuechler chemerinandchemokinelikereceptor1expressioninovariancancerassociateswithproteinsinvolvedinestrogensignaling
AT olafortmann chemerinandchemokinelikereceptor1expressioninovariancancerassociateswithproteinsinvolvedinestrogensignaling
AT olivertreeck chemerinandchemokinelikereceptor1expressioninovariancancerassociateswithproteinsinvolvedinestrogensignaling