Gene expression profile of ascites cell samples from patients with advanced ovarian cancer

We present evidence for an autocrine cytokine network in human ovarian cancer that has paracrine actions on the tumour microenvironment. In experiments using bioinformatics analysis of large gene expression array datasets and ovarian cancer biopsies, we found that the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12, are co-regulated in malignant cells. We named this co-regulation the TNF network. We had access to a unique set of ascites cell samples from patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with the therapeutic anti-human TNF-α antibody infliximab. Serial samples pre and during treatment were obtained during paracentesis (drainage of ascites fluid for symptomatic relief). In nine of these patients there was sufficient mRNA available for gene expression profile analysis before treatment. The Affymetrix GeneChip Human Genome U133Plus 2.0 arrays were used to define gene expression profiles in each of the ascites cell samples.