Abstract
This study described the expression of beclin-1 and mTOR proteins in 86 ovarian tumor tissue samples (n=25 benign ovarian tumor tissues; n=16 borderline ovarian tumor tissues; n=45 malignant epithelial ovarian tumor tissues) and 20 normal ovarian tissue samples and determined the diagnostic value of serum beclin-1 and mTOR protein levels for ovarian tumors. Serum and tissue beclin-1 and mTOR protein levels were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the significance of serum beclin-1 and mTOR protein levels for diagnosing borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumor. Mean beclin-1 protein levels were highest in normal ovarian tissue and were progressively decreased in benign, borderline, and malignant epithelial ovarian tumor. Mean mTOR protein levels were lowest in normal ovarian tissue and were progressively increased in benign, borderline, and malignant epithelial ovarian tumor. The area under the ROC curve was 0.93 or 0.97 when a combination of serum beclin-1 and mTOR protein levels was used to diagnose borderline or malignant epithelial ovarian tumor. There was a significant negative correlation between beclin-1 and mTOR protein expression in malignant epithelial ovarian tumor (rs=-0.78, P<0.05), but no correlation between beclin-1 and mTOR protein expression in borderline ovarian tumor. Combined detection of serum beclin-1 and mTOR protein levels may have improved diagnostic accuracy for malignant epithelial ovarian tumor compared to each marker alone.