Genetic alterations of HLA-class II in ovarian cancer

摘要: The immune system controls tumor formation through identification and elimination of cellular alterations. Consequently, cancer development in competent hosts depends on strategies to evade the system. Modulation antigen-specific responses by aberrant expression HLA-class I II molecules is well documented a variety carcinomas including ovarian cancer. To date, little data are available about molecular mechanisms responsible for altered phenotypes tumors. In our sample 10 Caucasian patients with carcinoma, semiquantitative analysis was performed loci DRB1 DQB1 malignant normal tissue. Gene amplifications were identified 62.5% analyzed alleles deletions 17.5%, demonstrating that genomic aberrations 6p21.3 common copy number gain more frequent than loss. Moreover, most pronounced advanced-stage evaluate genotype-phenotype relation, immunohistochemical analyses revealed de novo 30% tumors an inverse association between antigen level HLA number. It remains be elucidated whether profound changes latter quantities result host's immunological self-defense, indicate presence oncogene located within MHC-complex or merely reflect increasing loss differentiation