Researchers found that the KISS1 gene, which makes the peptide kisspeptin, is often higher in cervical cancer tissue, showing a genetic increase and more messenger RNA, but this doesn’t change based on HPV infection. They think KISS1 could become a useful marker or drug target for this cancer, though no treatment steps are described.

Similarities between the pathologic progression of cancer and the physiologic process of placentation have been recognized for many years proposing that both present similar mechanisms and processes. Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most frequent neoplasia among Mexican women turning it into an important health problem. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of the involvement of pregnancy related genes and in cancer progression by in-silico analysis and validated in CC samples. The data mining analysis resulted in the identification of genes expressed in term placenta, first trimester placenta and normal cervical tissues. Finally, we selected KISS1 for the involvement of pregnancy related gene and also in cancer process. In order to explore KISS1 in CC, we analyzed Copy Number Variation (CNV) and gene expression using microarray experiments. KISS1 showed 20% genomic gain in 1q32.1 on CC samples. Furthermore, microarray analysis showed KISS1 as up-regulated genes. Results were validated showing an overexpression of 85% of KISS1 in CC samples. Data suggest KISS1 as a great candidate for CC molecular markers or as a therapeutic target for CC. Also, HPV presence does not seem to alter the KISS1 expression in CC.