PLCD1 Expression for Early Detection and Prognosis in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

Purpose: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is a prevalent and aggressive subtype with rapid progression and poor prognosis, often diagnosed at an advanced stage despite treatment advances. Current diagnostic markers, such as CA-125, have limited early detection capability and poorly integrate with treatment decisions. This study explored PLCD1 as potential biomarkers for HGSOC’s early detection. Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performed to detect PLCD1 expression in tissue microarrays (TMA). The impact of PLCD1 expression on survival outcomes was evaluated via Kaplan-Meier method. PLCD1 expression in HGSOC cells was confirmed through Western blotting. PLCD1 knockdown and overexpression cell lines were established to investigate the functional role of PLCD1 in HGSOC. Colony formation, invasion, and 3D tumor spheroid assay were performed to evaluate cancer cells behavior. An OVCAR3-derived xenograft model was used to determine whether PLCD1 expression influence tumor growth. Results: IHC staining revealed high cytoplasmic expression of PLCD1 in HGSOC tissues compared to normal or borderline tissues, with low PLCD1 expression correlating with worse overall survival and disease-free survival in 101 patients with HGSOC. In vitro studies demonstrated that PLCD1 knockdown increased OVCA429 cells proliferation, whereas PLCD1 overexpression in OVCAR3 cells reduced colony formation. In the OVCAR3-derived xenograft model, PLCD1 overexpression significantly reduced tumor growth compared with that in the control group. Conclusion: The TMA revealed an association between PLCD1 expression and patient prognosis. Furthermore, tumor reduction was observed following PLCD1 overexpression in a xenograft model.These findings establish PLCD1 as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HGSOC.