Grant: Operating Grant - Priority Announcement: Ovarian Cancer (bridge funding)

The surface layer of cells on the ovary (epithelium) is disrupted and must repair itself after every ovulation. This repair process seems to put them at risk of becoming cancer cells and initiating the growth of tumors. We have identified a subset of ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells in mice that have characteristics resembling stem/progenitor cells. Stem/progenitor cells in other tissues play important roles in normal tissue repair, but can also become cancer stem cells, leading to cancer. There is little known about ovarian stem/progenitor cells or how they might contribute to ovulatory wound repair or cancer. We propose to study the OSE cells from mouse and human ovaries to determine how they contribute to ovulation. This study has two major aims: 1) to confirm the identity of stem cells in the surface epithelium obtained from mouse and human ovaries, and determine their ability to repair the ovarian surface after ovulation in mice; and 2) to determine the factors that regulate the population and function of OSE stem cells and how they might lead to increased risk of cancer. To improve our understanding of the origins of ovarian cancer, we need to understand the cells from which tumors develop, and how risk factors (like ovulation and BRCA1 mutations) alter the behaviour of the normal cells. This project aims to define the characteristics of stem/progenitor cells in the ovary, and to identify some of the mechanisms that control their behaviour. It is anticipated that studying OSE stem cells will provide some basic knowledge about how they are involved in ovulation and how they may contribute to the formation of ovarian cancers, which could open the door to investigating methods for prevention and early detection.