OVCA1 expression and its correlation with the expression levels of cyclin D1 and p16 in cervical cancer and intraepithelial neoplasia

The present study aimed to examine the associations between the protein and mRNA expression levels of ovarian cancer gene 1 (OVCA1), cyclin D1 and p16 and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in cervical lesions. The protein expression levels of OVCA1, cyclin D1 and p16 in 66 cases of cervical cancer, 64 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 34 normal cervix tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of OVCA1, cyclin D1 and p16 in cervical cancer and normal cervix cells were detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that the protein expression levels of OVCA1 increased gradually, whereas its mRNA expression levels decreased gradually, in the progression from normal cervix tissue to CIN and cervical cancer (P<0.01). In addition, significant differences in the protein expression levels of OVCA1 between low-and high-level CIN, as well as between the early and advanced stages of cervical cancer, were observed (P<0.05). No significant associations were detected between the protein and mRNA expression levels of OVCA1 and the pathological type of cervical cancer or the presence of lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). The expression levels of OVCA1 mRNA and protein were positively correlated with the levels of p16 expression (P<0.01). Significant differences were also observed in the OVCA1 protein and mRNA expression levels between the HR-HPV (+) and HR-HPV (−) groups (P<0.05). Therefore, aberrant expression of OVCA1 protein and mRNA may be important during the development of cervical lesions, particularly in the early stages. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the effects of OVCA1 during cervical cancer development may involve p16 and HPV, as the levels of OVCA1 in cervical lesions were correlated with abnormal expression of p16 and HR-HPV infection.