Molecular Mechanisms of ovarian cancer prevention: investigating the epigenetic consequences of oral contraceptive use

• Grant number: 18/11932-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: August 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Cintra Gomes Marcondes
• Grantee: Sarah Christine Pereira de Oliveira
• Supervisor: James Flanagan
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Imperial College London, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/10809-2 - Evaluation of DNA methylation profile in muscle and tumour tissue in adult rats, walker 256 tumour bearing, from offspring of rats submitted to COD liver oil diet, BP.MS

Abstract

Most ovarian cancers are diagnosed late and have a poor prognosis that hasn't changed significantly over the last 30 years. Screening for ovarian cancer does not appear to reduce mortality therefore, the best chance to reduce mortality from ovarian cancer is prevention and identifying women at high risk. Epidemiology studies have confirmed that 5-10 years of oral contraceptive (OC) use results in a lifelong reduction in ovarian cancer incidence. We hypothesise that OC use induces epigenetic changes in epithelial cells of the ovaries and fallopian tubes that reduces the risk of carcinogenesis. In this project we aim to understand the epigenetic component of ovarian cancer risk using in vivo and in vitro models of oral contraceptive administration on ovarian epithelial cells. We will utilize an existing mouse model of OC use, and normal ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) and ovarian cancer cell lines treated with oestrogen and progestins and investigate the methylation status of candidate genes using bisulphite pyrosequencing. These experiments will provide important information for ongoing epigenome-wide association studies for ovarian cancer risk.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OLIVEIRA, SARAH CHRISTINE PEREIRA DE; MIYAGUTI, NATALIA ANGELO DA SILVA; RUSSELL, STEVEN THOMAS; TOBAR, NATALIA; GERALDO, MURILO VIEIRA; GOMES-MARCONDES, MARIA CRISTINA CINTRA. Fish Oil Diet during Pre-mating, Gestation, and Lactation in Adult Offspring Rats on Cancer Cachexia Prevention. MOLECULAR NUTRITION & FOOD RESEARCH, v. 65, n. 9, APR 2021. (17/10809-2, 18/11932-5, 19/13937-7, 17/02739-4)