The expression profile and prognostic value of APE/Ref-1 and NPM1 in high-grade serous ovarian adenocarcinoma.

To analyze the expression trends and clinical significance of Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endodeoxyribonuclease 1 ( APE1/Ref-1) and Nucleophosmin ( NPM1) proteins in high-grade serous ovarian adenocarcinoma ( HGSC). The expressions of APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 proteins in 94 patients with HGSC were determined using the immunohistochemical ( IHC) method, and their relationships with clinicopathological features were analyzed by the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test. The follow-up data, Cox proportional hazards univariate and multivariate survival analyses were integrated to evaluate the prognostic factors affecting patients with HGSC. In the normal fallopian tubes, APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 protein were mainly distributed in the nuclear. The HGSC experienced changes in the cellular localization of APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 protein expressions, which were abnormally expressed in the cytoplasm. The rates of abnormal cytoplasmic expression of APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 proteins in 94 patients with HGSC were 69.1% and 73.4%, respectively, which were significantly higher than the normal fallopian tube tissues (p < 0.05). The abnormal cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 are significantly correlated with the lymph node metastasis, chemosensitivity, FIGO staging, and prognosis. The COX multivariate survival analysis showed that the abnormal expression of APE1/Ref-1 protein, FIGO staging, and lymph node metastasis are independent prognostic factors. Collectively, the abnormal cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 and NPM1 proteins are associated with the oncogenic progression and chemoresistance of HGSC, and predict a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]