1. ¹Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
2. ²Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
3. ³Department of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

Correspondence: Dr J-S Jin, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, No. 325, Sec. 2, Cheng-Gong Road, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. E-mail: jsjin@ndmctsgh.edu.tw

Received 15 June 2005; Revised 12 August 2005; Accepted 13 August 2005; Published online 20 January 2006.

Abstract

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease expressed by cells of surface epithelial origin, including epithelial ovarian tumor cells. Matriptase cleaves and activates proteins implicated in the progression of cancer and represents a potential prognostic and therapeutic target. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of matriptase in ovarian tumors and to assign clinicopathological correlations. Immunohistochemical analysis of matriptase was performed in tissue microarrays of 164 ovarian neoplasms including 84 serous adenocarcinomas, 23 mucinous adenocarcinomas, 10 endometrioid adenocarcinomas, six yolk sac tumors, 12 clear cell carcinomas, six dysgerminomas, eight granulosa cell tumors, four transitional cell carcinomas, five fibromas, and six Brenner tumors. All ovarian tumors except the fibromas and Brenner tumors showed significant expression of matriptase. The matriptase scores were significantly higher in the tumors than in their nontumor counterparts (30426 for serous adenocarcinoma; 36128 for mucinous adenocarcinoma; 25417 for endometrioid adenocarcinoma; 20519 for yolk sac tumor; 16216 for clear cell carcinoma; 10911 for dysgerminoma; 1059 for granulosa cell tumor; and 22618 for transitional cell carcinoma). Matriptase scores in serous adenocarcinoma were correlated with TNM stage and FIGO stage. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that matriptase is overexpressed in many malignant ovarian tumors. It may be a novel biomarker for diagnosis and treatment of malignant ovarian tumors.