High expression of manganese superoxide dismutase in 7,12-dimethylbenz[<i>a</i>]anthracene-induced ovarian cancer and increased serum levels in the tumor-bearing rats

Abstract

Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) is strongly expressed in human ovarian cancer, and the serum level of the enzyme is a useful marker for the diagnosis and monitoring of human ovarian cancer. In the present study we found that Mn-SOD was highly expressed in primary and transplanted ovarian cancers in rats induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), as judged by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as well as by Northern blot analysis. The serum levels of Mn-SOD in the tumor-bearing rats were also higher than those in control rats. The antibody strongly reacted with rat ovarian carcinoma tissues. These data suggest that DMBA-induced ovarian cancer in rats is a good experimental model for human ovarian cancer, and that Mn-SOD is also a good marker for disease in the animal model.