Overexpression of JARID1B is associated with poor prognosis and chemotherapy resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer

JARID1B, a histone demethylase, has been reported to be highly expressed in various human cancers. In the present study, we investigated the association of JARID1B level with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and prognosis of patients with EOC. We analyzed JARID1B expression in 20 normal ovaries, 20 benign ovarian tumor (BOT) samples, and 45 epithelial ovarian carcinoma specimens by quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analyses. JARID1B was further examined in 120 EOC specimens from patients with different histological stages via immunohistochemistry. Possible correlations between JARID1B levels and prognosis as well as chemotherapy resistance of EOC patients were determined by univariate and multivariate analyses. JARID1B level was significantly increased in EOC, as compared to normal ovaries and BOT. Among 120 EOC cases examined, the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 17 and 85 % in patients with high and low JARID1B expression, respectively (hazard ratio = 17.85, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 6.31–50.51, P < 0.001). Similarly, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for patients with high and low JARID1B expression were 28 and 92 % respectively (hazard ratio = 21.8, 95 % CI 5.92–71.81, P < 0.001). Positive correlation between JARID1B level and chemotherapy resistance was observed in patients with EOC (odds ratio (OR) 36.81, 95 % CI 4.84–280.11, P < 0.001). JARID1B could serve as an important biomarker for prognosis and chemotherapy resistance of EOC patients.