Combined Serum DKK3 and Circulating CD133 Cells as Prognostic Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer Patients

INTRODUCTION: Ovarian cancer (OV) can seriously endanger women’s physical and mental health. Serum DKK3 has been used for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer. However, the specificity of antibodies may lead to errors in the detection of plasma protein. METHODS: Circulating CD133(+) cells from blood samples were separated by magnetic microbeads. Serum DKK3 levels were determined by ELISA. The roles of DKK3 in OV cells were analyzed in vitro. RESULTS: In this study, we found that the CD133(+) subpopulation in circulating tumor cells can indicate the overall survival rate of OV patients. Serum DKK3 levels were negatively correlated with the number of circulating CD133(+) cells in OV patients. In addition, we confirmed the inhibitory effect of recombinant human DKK3 (rhDKK3) on OV cells via reversal of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. CONCLUSION: Both serum DKK3 levels and circulating CD133(+) tumor cells can be used as prognostic markers for patients with ovarian cancer.