Reovirus is an oncolytic virus (OV), which acts by both direct tumor cell killing and priming of antitumor immunity. A major obstacle for effective oncolytic virotherapy is effective delivery of OV to tumor cells. Ovarian cancer is often confined to the peritoneal cavity and therefore i.p. delivery of reovirus may provide the ideal locoregional delivery, avoiding systemic dissemination. However...

BACKGROUND Human kallikrein 6 (hK6) is significantly increased in serum in many patients with ovarian cancer and may have a role in amyloid precursor processing and Alzheimer disease. The forms of hK6 in biological fluids are poorly characterized. METHODS hK6 protein was immunoaffinity-purified and positively identified by Western blotting, N-terminal sequencing, and mass spectrometry. hK6 in...

Angiogenesis is important in the pathophysiology of endometriosis, a condition characterized by implantation of ectopic endometrium in the peritoneal cavity. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor involved in physiological and pathological angiogenesis, and elevated levels of VEGF are found in peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis. Our aim was to inves...

Ovarian tumor cells produce macrophage colony stimulating factor, a potent chemoattractant for monocytes. Monocytes and macrophages produce tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1 alpha or interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) that can stimulate ovarian tumor cell growth. The present study has explored whether paracrine stimulation by monocyte derived cytokines might induce autocrine...

Ultrasonography is the primary imaging tool for a patient considered to have an ovarian cyst. On a sonogram, simple ovarian cysts have a uniformly thin, rounded wall and a unilocular appearance that is either hypoechoic or anechoic. They usually measure 2.5-15 cm in diameter, and posterior acoustic enhancement (a hyperechoic area) may be visible deep to the fluid-filled cyst. Most commonly, the...

BACKGROUND Metastatic involvement of the ovary from malignant melanoma is uncommon and presents a diagnostic challenge. Most cases are associated with disseminated disease and carry a dismal prognosis. Delayed ovarian recurrences from melanoma may mimic primary ovarian cancer and lead to aggressive cytoreductive procedures. CASE PRESENTATION A case of malignant melanoma in a premenopausal pat...

.......................................................................................... xiv Research Publications ................................................................... xviii Conference abstracts ..................................................................... xix Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................... 2 1.1 Folliculoge...

Ovarian tumors are relatively uncommon in paediatric age group and mostly occur in the period after menarche and are extremely rare prior to menarche. However, in children and adolescent, the epithelial ovarian tumors account approximately 10% to 28% of all ovarian tumors. In the present case, the patient was presented with abdominal pain for 1 day and no mass was felt on physical examination. ...

BACKGROUND The aims of this study were to develop immunologic reagents and a sensitive and specific immunoassay for human kallikrein 13 (hK13) and to examine the presence of hK13 in human tissues and biological fluids. METHODS Recombinant hK13 protein was produced and purified with use of a Pichia pastoris yeast expression system. The protein was used as an immunogen to generate mouse monoclo...

BACKGROUND Follicular fluid contains substances involved in follicle activity, cell differentiation and oocyte maturation. Studies of its components may contribute to better understanding of the mechanisms underlying follicular development and oocyte quality. The canine species is characterized by several ovarian activity features that are not extensively described such as preovulatory luteiniz...