Clinical significance of MT1-MMP mRNA expression in breast cancer.
Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is known as an activator of MMP-2. We reported that the expression of MT1-MMP is a powerful indicator of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancers. We now examined the possibility that MT1-MMP expression also is an indicator of lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. We examined the clinicopathologic significance of the expression of MT1-MMP mRNA in 53 breast cancer specimens by the semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. The highest expression of MT1-MMP was found in those specimens showing lymph node metastasis and/or lymph vessel invasion. Therefore, an analysis of MT1-MMP can predict the presence of lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients by RT-PCR assay in minute amounts of tissue. We believe this is an objective assay for determining the role of MT1-MMP for metastasis in patients with breast cancer.
Mimori
K
K
Department of Surgery, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Beppu 870-0838, Japan.
Ueo
H
H
Shirasaka
C
C
Mori
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D053504:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Membrane-Associated; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D053504:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Membrane-Associated; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases