Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on proliferation and apoptosis in ovarian cancer cell CAOV3 mediated by ERK1/2

  Objective   To investigate Ras-Raf-ERK 1/2 mediated functions of basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) on proliferation and apoptosis in ovarian cancercell CAOV 3 and to study the relationship between signal transduction mechanism of bFGFand the development of ovarian cancer.

  Methods   Aftertreated with bFGFand PD98059, the inhibitorof mitogen-activ ated protein kinase(MEK 1), proliferation rate, apoptosis rate, ext racelluarsignal-regulated protein kinase(ERK1/2)activity of CAOV 3 cell were studied by means of methyl thiazoly l tetrazolian(MT T)assay, FACScan flowcy tometer, Western blot respectively.

  Results   bFGFcould dose dependently improve the proliferation of CAOV 3 cell significantly.Treated cells with 75 ng/ml bFGF, the pro liferation rate increased to 140%: bFGFdecreased the apoptosis rate induced by starvation(33.20±5.32)% ~2.38±3.36)%; bFGFinduced ERK 1/2 activity.All these effects of bFGFwere inhibited by PD98059.

  Conclusion   In ovarian cancercell CAOV3, bFGFincreased pro liferation rate, decreased apoptosis rate, which was mediated by Ras-Raf-ERK1/2 pathway.The bFGFsignal transduction might play important roles in the development of ovarian cancer.