IDENTIFICATION OF INSULIN AND INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I (IGF I) RECEPTORS IN OVARIAN-CANCER TISSUE

The objective of this study was to test if specific insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I) receptors are expressed in ovarian cancer tissue. Thirteen tissue specimens from primary ovarian cancers, 1 specimen from a primary peritoneal carcinoma, 10 specimens from metastatic lesions of ovarian carcinomas, and 4 specimens from recurrent ovarian cancers together with 13 normal ovaries were tested for their content of insulin and IGF-I receptors, by the application of specific insulin and IGF-I receptor radioimmunoassays. The insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-I receptor (IGF R) content in the primary tumors varied between 23.8-321.4 and 16.4-554.2 ng/0.1 mg DNA, respectively. Metastatic lesions contained between 12.3 and 226.7 ng IR/0.1 mg DNA and between 7.5 and 459.4 ng IGF R/0.1 mg DNA. In recurrent tumors the receptor concentrations were in the range of 41.5-79.8 and 48.9-160.9 ng/0.1 mg DNA for insulin and IGF-I receptors, respectively. Normal ovarian tissue contained between 12.2 and 150.1 ng IR and between 21.4 and 420.1 ng IGF R per 0.1 mg DNA, respectively. As both insulin and IGF-I receptors are present in ovarian cancer tissue, the effects of insulin and IGF-I as potential growth factors in ovarian cancer should be further investigated. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.