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Background and Objective: Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecological malignancy. One of the most important genes in Wnt signaling pathway is E-cadherin (CDH1), which is involved in epithelial cell-cell interaction and plays an important role in the establishment and maintenance of intercellular adhesion, cell polarity and tissue architecture. E-cadherin codes a group of connector proteins which caused to intercellular adhesion. It has an important role in adhesion of blastomere and ability to bind fetal tissues. Nucleotide change in the coding region of this gene may lead to develop ovarian cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the association of +54C/T (Rs1801026) 3΄UTR of E-cadherin gene polymorphism with ovarian cancer risk. Methods: This case-control study was done on 100 tissue samples of patients with ovarian cancer as cases and 100 age-matched healthy women as control in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The E-cadherin gene polymorphism was determined by using the PCR-RFLP method. Results: There was no association between CT (95% CI: 0.81-4.31; OR=1.87; P<0.14) and TT (95% CI: 0.73-2.38; OR=1.44; P<0.29) genotypes and ovarian cancer. No association was found between genotypes with grade and stage of cancer. Conclusion: There is no correlation between +54C/T (Rs1801026) 3΄UTR of E-cadherin gene polymorphism with ovarian cancer.

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Background and Objective: Ovarian cancer is the fifth common cancer among women and the number of new cases is increasing. Valproic acid is a histone deacetylase inhibitor effectively used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disease. Recently, this compound has attracted attention as an anti-cancer agent. Bim is one of the most important genes of mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, and it plays an important role in the biology of cancer. Expression of this gene is greatly reduced in ovarian cancer. This study was done to evaluate the effect of valproic acid on the viability of ovarian cancer cells, apoptosis and Bim gene expression in A2780 line.
Methods: In this experimental study, the human ovarian cancer cells (A2780) were grown in RPMI-1640 medium in appropriate culture conditions. The cells were treated by various concentrations valproic acid (1-30 mM) and were incubated for 24, 48 and 72 hours. After the incubation of period, cell viability was investigated using MTT. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow-cytometry method in the cells were treated by valproic acid. The Real time PCR test was used to assess the effect of this drug on the expression of Bim gene.
Results: The results of MTT assay showed that valproic acid reduced the viability of A2780 cells, and this effect was time and dose-dependent. The reduction of cell viability at 30 mM concentration and 72 hours after treatment, was maximum and statistically significant (P<0.05). Exposure to valproic acid significantly increased the percentage of apoptotic cells (P<0.05). Also, Valproic acid significantly increased the expression of Bim (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Valproic acid reduced viability in ovarian cancer cell line A2780. Valproic acid increased cell death by altering the expression of genes involved in apoptosis in ovarian cancer cell line A2780.

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Background and Objective: Ovarian cancer, also known as “The Silent Killer,” is one of the most dangerous cancers for women, which often diagnosed late and incurable. On the other hand, conventional therapies currently have limitations, failures and various side effects. This study was performed to determine the effect of pomegranate peel extract on the expression of angiogenesis stimulating gene (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor: VEGF) by culturing A2780 cell line of ovarian cancer.
Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, pomegranate peel extract was prepared and then ovarian cancer cells (A2780 cell line) were exposed to different concentrations of pomegranate peel extract (500, 250, 100, 75, 50, 25 and 10 µg/ml) for 48, 24 and 72 hours. Also, the survival rate of the cells was tested by MTT assay and VEGF gene expression was evaluated using RT-PCR.
Results: Pomegranate peel extract concentration of 500 µg/ml reduced the survival rate to 18% in 72 hours (P<0.05). At concentrations of 200, 100 and 50 µg/ml of pomegranate peel extract, the expression of VEGF reduced by 7%, 16% and 19%, respectively, which was significant compared to the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Pomegranate peel extract, due to its numerous compounds and significant antioxidant properties, is likely to reduce metastasis and malignant manifestations by reducing the expression of the angiogenesis agent.