Expression of the Carboxy-Terminal Portion of MUC16/CA125 Induces Transformation and Tumor Invasion

PLOS ONE - open access (technical)

....These findings are the first to describe MUC16-linked changes in cellular behavior and gene transcription. The in vitro and in vivo models are consistent with the adverse effects of MUC16 expression levels in serous ovarian cancer and promote the understanding of MUC16 as a pathogenic contributor to the behaviors of ovarian cancer. The adverse impact of increasing CA125 expression is consistent with increased in vivo tumor growth and lethality of MUC16-positive 3T3 transfectants. Additional work of the precise mechanisms initiating MUC16 signaling, the effects of MUC16 binding to stromal elements, and the identification of the key molecular partners of cell surface MUC16 are likely to further enhance our understanding of ovarian cancer biology.