Primary research

Downregulation of calcineurin activity in cervical carcinoma

S Padma¹ , A Pavani Sowjanya¹ , Usha Rani Poli² , Meenakshi Jain³ , BN Rao² and Gayatri Ramakrishna¹

¹  Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Nacharam, Hyderabad, A.P, India

²  M.N.J Institute of Oncology and Regional cancer centre, Hyderabad, A.P, India

³  Mediciti Hospital, Medchal, A.P, India

author email corresponding author email

Cancer Cell International 2005, 5:7doi:10.1186/1475-2867-5-7

Published:	1 April 2005

Abstract

Background

Calcineurin (CaN) is an important serine-threonine phosphatase (PP2B), which plays a crucial role in calcium-calmodulin mediated signal transduction events. Calcineurin has been implicated in pathogenesis of various diseases cardiac hypertrophy, diabetic neuropathy and Alzheimer's, however its role in neoplasia remains unclear.

Results

In view of this we evaluated the calcineurin activity in serum and biopsy samples collected from women diagnosed with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of cervix. A significant reduction was observed in the calcineurin activity in cancer cervix patients compared to the control group. However the calcineurin activity remained unaltered in the cervical scrapes obtained from patients diagnosed with low-grade squamous intra epithelial lesions (LSIL). Interestingly the downregulation of calcineurin activity in squamous cell carcinomas was not accompanied by any significant change in DNA-binding affinity of the transcriptional factor NFAT (Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells). All the squamous cell carcinoma samples used in the present study were positive for high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates the downregulation of calcineurin activity in squamous cell carcinoma of cervix with high risk HPV infection. We conclude that perturbations in calcineurin-mediated pathway may be involved in development of cervical neoplasia.