Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv10.1 , Kv11.1

Title: The Eag potassium channel as a new prognostic marker in ovarian cancer.

Authors: Viren Asher, Raheela Khan, Averil Warren, Robert Shaw, Gerhard V Schalkwyk, Anish Bali, Heidi M Sowter

Journal, date & volume: Diagn Pathol, 2010 , 5, 78

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21138547

Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the second most common cancer of the female genital tract in the United Kingdom (UK), accounting for 6% of female deaths due to cancer. This cancer is associated with poor survival and there is a need for new treatments in addition to existing chemotherapy to improve survival. Potassium (K+) channels have been shown to be overexpressed in various cancers where they appear to play a role in cell proliferation and progression.To determine the expression of the potassium channels Eag and HERG in ovarian cancer tissue and to assess their role in cell proliferation.The expression of Eag and HERG potassium channels was examined in an ovarian cancer tissue microarray. Their role in cell proliferation was investigated by blocking voltage-gated potassium channels in an ovarian cancer cell line (SK-OV-3).We show for the first time that high expression of Eag channels in ovarian cancer patients is significantly associated with poor survival (P = 0.016) unlike HERG channel expression where there was no correlation with survival. There was also a significant association of Eag staining with high tumour grade (P = 0.014) and presence of residual disease (P = 0.011). Proliferation of SK-OV-3 cells was significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited after treatment with voltage gated K+ channel blockers.This novel finding demonstrates a role for Eag as a prognostic marker for survival in patients with ovarian cancer.