Utilizing digital pathology to quantify stromal caveolin-1 expression in malignant and benign ovarian tumors: Associations with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes

PLoS One. 2021 Nov 23;16(11):e0256615. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256615. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Loss of stromal caveolin-1 (Cav-1) is a biomarker of a cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) phenotype and is related to progression, metastasis, and poor outcomes in several cancers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of Cav-1 expression in invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa). Epithelial and stromal Cav-1 expression were quantified in serous OvCa and benign ovarian tissue in two, independent cohorts-one quantified expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the other using multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) with digital image analysis designed to target CAF-specific expression. Cav-1 expression was significantly downregulated in OvCa stroma compared to non-neoplastic stroma using both the IHC (p = 0.002) and IF (p = 1.8x10-13) assays. OvCa stroma showed Cav-1 downregulation compared to tumor epithelium with IHC (p = 1.2x10-24). Conversely, Cav-1 expression was higher in OvCa stroma compared to tumor epithelium with IF (p = 0.002). There was moderate correlation between IHC and IF methods for stromal Cav-1 expression (r2 = 0.69, p = 0.006) whereas there was no correlation for epithelial expression (r2 = 0.006, p = 0.98). Irrespective of the staining assay, neither response to therapy or overall survival correlated with the expression level of Cav-1 in the stroma or tumor epithelium. Our findings demonstrate a loss of stromal Cav-1 expression in ovarian serous carcinomas. Studies are needed to replicate these findings and explore therapeutic implications, particularly for immunotherapy response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Caveolin 1 / metabolism*
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / metabolism*
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / mortality
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / pathology
  • Down-Regulation
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / mortality
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovary / metabolism*
  • Ovary / pathology
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism*
  • Stromal Cells / pathology
  • Survival Rate
  • Tissue Array Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Caveolin 1