Ovarian cancer occurrence and metastasis are related to cytokine interference

Cytokines are small molecule polypeptides or glycoproteins that transmit signals through corresponding receptors as messenger molecules of the nervous system. In recent years, many studies have found that the growth, invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer are related to a variety of cytokines.

1. Interleukin 6 (IL-6)

Interleukin-6 is a multifunctional cytokine that plays an important role in tumor formation, immune regulation, and inflammation, especially closely related to tumor growth and spread. Related studies have found that the expression of IL-6 in the serum and ascites of ovarian cancer patients is abnormally elevated, but how IL-6 is involved in the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer has not yet been clearly reported in China. A foreign view is that cancer cells can obtain IL-6 activity and IL-6 receptor mRNA expression through in vitro culture, which can stimulate cancer cells to continue to proliferate and expand, and increase significantly with the increase in the malignancy of the tumor, and this cycle continues.

2. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)

Insulin-like growth factor is divided into IGF-I and GF-II. It mainly plays an important regulatory role in the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer through 6 binding proteins (IGFBP). Among them, IGFBP-3 is the main regulatory protein, followed by IGFBP-2. Changes in the levels of both can affect the prognosis of ovarian cancer. The content of IGFBP-2 in malignant ovarian epithelial cancer cystic fluid is significantly higher than that in benign ovarian tumor cystic fluid, mainly due to the enhanced expression of mRNA and protein in tumor cells.

3. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Vascular endothelial growth factor is an important angiogenic factor, which plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. It can induce angiogenesis, leading to tumor growth, invasion and metastasis to distant sites through the blood. It is more obviously expressed in ovarian malignant tumors, and its expression level increases with the increase of clinical stage and lymph node metastasis.