The human
ether-a-go-go-related potassium channel 1 (hERG1) is a functional component of the voltage-gated Kv11.1
potassium channel, which is commonly described as a crucial factor in the
tumorigenesis of a variety of
tumors.
Ovarian cancer is one of the most severe types of
cancer, with an extremely poor prognosis. Advances have been made in recent years; however, drug resistance and
tumor recurrence remain critical issues underlying satisfactory treatment outcomes. Therefore, more effective
antitumor agents with low levels of drug resistance for
ovarian cancer treatment are urgently required in clinical practice. In the present study, hERG1
mRNA expression in ovarian
tumor tissues and cell lines were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to assess the expression levels of hERG1
protein. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and Transwell assay. A
tumor xenograft assay was used to determine the growth of
tumors in vivo. It was demonstrated that the expression levels of hERG1 were significantly elevated in
ovarian cancer tissues and expressed in
ovarian cancer cell lines, particularly in SKOV3 cells. Abnormal hERG1 expression was significantly associated with the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of
ovarian cancer. In addition,
berberine (BBR) may be used as a potential
drug in the treatment of
ovarian cancer, possibly due to its inhibitory effects on the hERG1 channels. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that hERG1 may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of
ovarian cancer and provided novel insights into the mechanism underlying the antitumor effects of BBR in
ovarian cancer.