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Table 3 Comparative expression profile of mucins in different stages and histological types of ovarian cancer

From: Mucins in ovarian cancer diagnosis and therapy

Gene

Normal Ovary

Borderline

(Mucinous)

Low Stage (Stage 1-2)

High Stage (Stage 3-4)

Detection method

MUC1

+/-

++

+ to +++ (in all histological types i.e. C, M, E, S)

+ to +++ (in all histological types i.e. C, M, E, S)

ISH, NB, IHC [47–50]

MUC2

ND

+++

+++ (all histological types, primarily in mucinous type)

+ to ++

ISH, NB, IHC [47–51]

MUC3

ND

+++ (primarily in intestinal phenotype

+++ (E, M)

- to +

ISH, NB [47, 48]

MUC4

-

+++ (primarily in endocervical phenotype)

+++ (all types i.e. C, M, E, S)

- to ++

ISH, NB, IHC [47, 48]

MUC5AC

ND

++ (primarily in gastric surface cell or mucinous type)

++ (E, M, S)

++

ISH, NB, [47, 48]

MUC5B

ND

++ (Express primarily in endocervical phenotype)

++ (C, S)

- to +

ISH, NB [47, 48]

MUC13

ND

+

+++ (S, M)

++ (S, M)

OMA, TMA, IHC [53, 97]

CA125/MUC16

-

- (express in non-mucinous borderline tumors

- to +++ (rarely express in mucinous tumors)

+ to +++ (rarely express in mucinous tumors)

IHC [76–79]

MUC17

-

+

-

-

[44, 97]

  1. Note: C, M, E, and S are abbreviated for clear cell, mucinous, endometroid and serous histological types of ovarian tumors, respectively.
  2. ISH, in-situ hybridization; NB, northern blotting; IHC, immunohistochemistry, TMA, tissue microarray, OMA, oligonucleotide microarray