Proprotein Convertases in Gynecological Cancers

Gynecological cancers include neoplasias of internal female genital organs, mainly ovarian, endometrial and cervical tumors, and cancers of the external female genital structures. Current scientific evidence indicates that both up- and down-regulation of the expression of PCs are part of the multiple changes occurring in these gynecological tumors. Nevertheless, the physiological significance of this puzzling pattern of PC expression remains elusive. The fact that PCs can activate both pro- and anticarcinogenic substrates may indicate that the nature of the overexpressed substrates in certain cancer types could determine the final outcome; i.e., slowing or accelerating cancer development. The expression of PCs in gynecological cancers and the correlation of this expression with other markers may facilitate preventive and therapeutic interventions in at-risk populations. Several studies single out furin as the main PC overexpressed in ovarian and endometrial cancers. For instance, furin expression...