Evidence of human cytomegalovirus infection and expression of 5-lipoxygenase in borderline ovarian tumors

Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) belong to a group of tumors that are distinctly different from ovarian carcinomas. There is an increased risk of BOTs in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been detected in ovarian cancer tissue specimens. This virus favors the inflammatory milieu by inducing expression of the potent inflammatory factor 5-lipoxygenase (5LO), which stimulates cellular viability, cellular proliferation and activates antiapoptotic signaling pathways. Here, we aimed to examine presence of HCMV and 5LO in BOTs. Expression levels of HCMV proteins (IE and pp65) and 5LO were examined in paraffin embedded BOT tissue sections by immunohistochemistry staining and HCMV immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were determined by serology in blood samples obtained from 15 patients with BOTs identified in a prospective study at Karolinska University Hospital. Extensive expression of HCMV-IE, pp65, and 5LO were detected in 87%, 40%, and 90% of examined BOT tissue sections, respectively. HCMV-IgG prevalence and antibody levels were significantly higher in patients with BOT compared to age matched healthy women (83.3% vs. 65,6%, respectively, p = .01). Whether HCMV can induce inflammation and affect the pathogenesis of BOTs should therefore be further investigated.