Abstract: MUC16, also named CA125, is a kind of high molecular weight glycoprotein expressed by various epithelial cells. It participates in protecting and repairing epithelium. MUC16 is one of the most important diagnostic biomarkers for early stage epithelial ovarian cancer. Recent studies have found that the abnormal expression of MUC16 in ovarian cancer is closely related to tumorigenesis and poor prognosis of ovarian cancer. MUC16 can bind to mesothelin to promote ovarian cancer distant metastasis. It can inhibit immune synapse formation between immune cells and tumor cells to help ovarian cancer cells evade immune attack. The overexpression of MUC16 can also affect EMT, proliferation, migration and metastasis of tumor cells to enhance ovarian cancer progression. Although much progress is being made in understanding the relationship between MUC16 and ovarian cancer, the biochemical structure of MUC16 and its specific mechanism in ovarian cancer are still unclear. This review makes a summary on the biochemical structure of MUC16 and its role in immuno-escape, proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer, to provide new targets for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Key words: Ovarian neoplasms, CA-125 antigen, Mucins, Tumor escape, Neoplasm metastasis, MUC16