Multiplexed Immunobead-Based Cytokine Profiling in patients with ovarian cancer

Due to late diagnosis, ovarian cancer is the most deadly gynecologic malignancy. Inflammation is one of the risk factors of ovarian cancer and the inflammatory response implicates all stages of tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to analyze the concentration of molecules, which can take part in malignant processes. We analyzed patients with ovarian cancer, with endometriosis and healthy controls. Thirty-seven analytes were measured in serum using BioPlex Pro Human Inflammation Panel. We were able to detect 28 of the proteins among the studied groups. We found a significant increase in 22 of the tested molecules (BAFF, Chitinase3-like 1, IFN-alpha2, IFN-beta, IFN-gamma, IFN-lambda2, IFN-lambda1, gp130, IL-2, IL-12 (p40), IL-11, IL-32, IL-35, MMP3, Osteocalcin, Pantraxin-3, sCD163, TNFRSF8, sIL-6Ralpha, STNF-R1, STNF-R2, and TSLP) in the ovarian cancer group in comparison to the healthy controls. Two of them (IL-20, MMP1) did not show significant differences between groups. Moreover, we identified decreased concentrations of APRIL and osteopontin in ovarian cancer vs. healthy controls. While this study is a preliminary report, we hope this will encourage a further use of multiplex analysis in ovarian cancer biomarker research