Abstract
The thrombopoietin (TPO) gene expression in human ovary and cancer cells from patients with ovarian carcinomatosis, as well as several cancer cell lines including MDA-MB231 (breast cancer), K562 and HL60 (Leukemic cells), OVCAR-3NIH and SKOV-3 (ovarian cancer), was performed using RT PCR, real-time PCR, and gene sequencing. Human liver tissues are used as controls. The presence of TPO in the cells and its regulation by activated protein C were explored by flow cytometry. TPO content of cell extract as well as plasma of a patient with ovarian cancer was evaluated by ELISA. The functionality of TPO was performed in coculture on the basis of the viability of a TPO-dependent cell line (Ba/F3), MTT assay, and Annexin-V labeling. As in liver, ovarian tissues and all cancer cells lines except the MDA-MB231 express the three TPO-1 (full length TPO), TPO-2 (12 bp deletion), and TPO-3 (116 pb deletion) variants. Primary ovarian cancer cells as well as cancer cell lines produce TPO. The thrombopoietin production by OVCAR-3 increased when cells are stimulated by aPC. OVCAR-3 cell's supernatant can replace exogenous TPO and inhibited TPO-dependent cell line (Ba/F3) apoptosis. The thrombopoietin produced by tumor may have a direct effect on thrombocytosis/thrombosis occurrence in patients with ovarian cancer.