High expression of maternal embryonic leucine-zipper kinase (MELK) impacts clinical outcomes in patients with ovarian cancer and its inhibition suppresses ovarian cancer cells growth ex vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) is receiving an attention as a therapeutic target in various types of cancers. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of MELK expression in ovarian cancer using clinical samples, and assessed the efficacy of a small molecule MELK inhibitor, OTS167, using patient-derived ovarian cancer cells as well as cell lines.

Methods

Expression levels of MELK in 11 ovarian cancer cell lines were confirmed by western blotting. Inhibitory concentration of OTS167 was determined by colorimetric assay. MELK messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was evaluated in 228 ovarian cancer patients by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Growth inhibition of OTS167 was also evaluated using freshly-isolated pri

SUBMITTER: Ikeda Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7593222 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature