Cetuximab inhibits the growth of mucinous ovarian carcinoma tumor cells lacking KRAS gene mutations

Oncol Rep. 2012 May;27(5):1336-40. doi: 10.3892/or.2012.1626. Epub 2012 Jan 11.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of targeted molecular therapy with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) antibody (cetuximab) for the treatment of mucinous ovarian carcinoma. We analyzed EGFR protein expression and KRAS gene mutations in 5 mucinous ovarian carcinoma cell lines RMUG-L, RMUG-S, MN-1, OMC-1 and MCAS and evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of cetuximab on each. EGFR expression was observed in all cell lines except for MN-1 cells, and a KRAS gene mutation at codon 12 was detected only in the MCAS cell line. Cetuximab inhibited RMUG-L and OMC-1 cell growth in vitro and completely blocked RMUG-L tumor growth in vivo. On the other hand, cetuximab did not affect MCAS cell growth in vitro and only partially reduced the MCAS tumor growth in vivo. These results suggest the possibility of targeted molecular therapy with cetuximab for mucinous ovarian carcinoma cells lacking a KRAS gene mutation.

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cetuximab
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mutation*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • ras Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • KRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • ras Proteins
  • Cetuximab