Glutathione S-transferase Activity in Ovarian Tumours
Author Information
Author(s): D. Murphy, A.T. McGown, A. Hall, A. Cattan, D. Crowther, B.W. Fox
Primary Institution: University of Manchester, Christie Hospital NHS Trust
Hypothesis
Changes in glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity or isoenzyme expression are major determinants of response to chemotherapy in ovarian tumours.
Conclusion
The study found that glutathione S-transferase activity is higher in ovarian tumours compared to normal ovaries, but there is no significant difference in activity between tumours taken before or after chemotherapy.
Supporting Evidence
- GST activities in pre-chemotherapy tumours were significantly higher than in normal ovaries.
- Post-chemotherapy tumours also showed significantly higher GST activity compared to normal ovaries.
- No significant differences were found in GST activity between pre- and post-chemotherapy tumours.
Takeaway
This study looked at how a specific enzyme behaves in ovarian cancer before and after treatment, finding that the enzyme levels are higher in cancer than in normal tissue, but treatment doesn't change that much.
Methodology
The study involved measuring glutathione S-transferase activities and isoenzyme distributions in ovarian tumour biopsies and comparing them with normal ovarian tissue.
Limitations
The study's findings may not account for sub-populations of resistant cells within tumours and relied on average values for enzyme activity.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 46 years, with a range of 39-54 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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