MUC16(CA125) has remained the mainstay for ovarian cancer assessment and management since the early 1980's. With the exception of HE4, it is the only reliable serum biomarker for ovarian cancer. MUC16 belongs to a...MUC16(CA125) has remained the mainstay for ovarian cancer assessment and management since the early 1980's. With the exception of HE4, it is the only reliable serum biomarker for ovarian cancer. MUC16 belongs to a family of high-molecular weight glycoproteins known as mucins. The mucin family is comprised of large secreted transmembrane proteins that includes MUC1, MUC4 and MUC16. These mucins are often overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. MUC1 and MUC4 have been shown to contribute to breast and pancreatic tumorigenesis. Recent studies have uncovered unique biological functions for MUC16 that go beyond its role as a biomarker for ovarian cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the literature to highlight the importance of MUC16 in ovarian cancer tumorigenesis. We focus on the growing literature describing the role of MUC16 in proliferation, migration, metastasis, tumorigenesis and drug resistance. Accumulating experimental evidence suggest that the C-terminal domain of MUC16 is critical to mediate theses effects. The importance of MUC16 in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer emphasizes the need to fully understand the signaling capabilities of MUC16 C-terminal domain to develop more efficient strategies for the successful treatment of ovarian cancer.展开更多
基金Supported by Internal Funding from Universitéde Sherbrooke
文摘MUC16(CA125) has remained the mainstay for ovarian cancer assessment and management since the early 1980's. With the exception of HE4, it is the only reliable serum biomarker for ovarian cancer. MUC16 belongs to a family of high-molecular weight glycoproteins known as mucins. The mucin family is comprised of large secreted transmembrane proteins that includes MUC1, MUC4 and MUC16. These mucins are often overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. MUC1 and MUC4 have been shown to contribute to breast and pancreatic tumorigenesis. Recent studies have uncovered unique biological functions for MUC16 that go beyond its role as a biomarker for ovarian cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the literature to highlight the importance of MUC16 in ovarian cancer tumorigenesis. We focus on the growing literature describing the role of MUC16 in proliferation, migration, metastasis, tumorigenesis and drug resistance. Accumulating experimental evidence suggest that the C-terminal domain of MUC16 is critical to mediate theses effects. The importance of MUC16 in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer emphasizes the need to fully understand the signaling capabilities of MUC16 C-terminal domain to develop more efficient strategies for the successful treatment of ovarian cancer.
