Sequential production and activation of matrix-metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) with breast cancer progression.
The degradation of the basement membrane by matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP) and serine protease is a critical point in tumor invasion and metastasis. We measured the activity of MMP-9 from 28 normal, 12 benign and 126 breast cancer tissues using gelatin zymography with an image analysis system. ProMMP-9 was expressed in 17.5% of the cancer patients compared to 2.5% in 40 non-cancerous tissues (p = 0.014). The mature form of MMP-9 (82 kD) was expressed only in T2-T4 stages. During the early phase of breast cancer (DCIS and T1 stage) progression, only production of proMMP-9 increased. However, as the cancer grew or invaded skin (T2-T4), or with lymphovascular permeation, both production and activation of MMP-9 increased. In conclusion, proMMP-9 production was the main cause of increased MMP-9 activity during the early phase, while both production and activation increased in the late phase of breast cancer.
Rha
S Y
SY
Yonsei Cancer Center, Institute for Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
J H
JH
Roh
J K
JK
Lee
K S
KS
Min
J S
JS
Kim
B S
BS
Chung
H C
HC
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D017364:Collagenases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
D017364:Collagenases; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9