The urokinase-type plasminogen activator system in resected non-small-cell lung cancer. Rotterdam Oncology Thoracic Study Group.
BACKGROUND
Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its receptor (uPAR) and plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1 and PAI-2), all play important roles in tumour invasion and metastasis. The tumour levels of the components of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator system (uPA-system) may help to identify individuals with a poor prognosis in postoperative non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.


METHODS
The levels of uPA, uPAR PAI-1 and PAI-2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in triton-extracts, prepared from 88 NSCLC tissues (stage I-IIIa) and 74 normal lung tissues from the same patients.


RESULTS
The expression levels of uPA, uPAR, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were significantly higher in tumour tissues as compared to their normal equivalents (all, P < 0.0001). Significant relations were found between gender and uPA (P = 0.04) or uPAR (P < 0.001), and between PAI-2 and pathological stage (P = 0.03). For none of the studied factors of the uPA-system a significant relation with survival was found, neither in all patients, nor in the subgroups of patients with squamous-cell lung carcinoma or adenocarcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression levels of the components of the uPA-system were higher in NSCLC tissue as compared to normal lung tissue, but there were no significant relationships between their levels and survival.
Salden
M
M
Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Splinter
T A
TA
Peters
H A
HA
Look
M P
MP
Timmermans
M
M
van Meerbeeck
J P
JP
Foekens
J A
JA
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis
C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D015849:Plasminogen Inactivators; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D010960:Plasminogen Activators