The Ets-1 transcription factor is up-regulated together with MMP 1 and MMP 9 in the stroma of pre-invasive breast cancer.
The first steps of stroma generation are of pivotal importance for carcinogenesis because at this stage are initiated both angiogenesis, the prerequisite for continuous tumour growth, and the proliferation of stromal fibroblasts. These developments contribute to the onset of tumour invasion by secreting several matrix-degrading proteases. Both angiogenesis and the production of proteases are tightly controlled at several levels; of significant importance is transcription. The Ets-1 transcription factor transactivates several genes encoding matrix-degrading proteases and is thought to be involved in both tumour vascularization and invasion. This study therefore investigated, by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, the expression of Ets-1 and of two of its target genes, encoding matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 and MMP 9, in order to demonstrate a topographical in vivo correlation between the expression of these three genes during breast cancer formation. All three genes were first expressed within both endothelial cells and stromal fibroblasts during the onset of stroma generation around intraductal and intralobular in situ carcinomas and they were significantly up-regulated in the stroma of invasive ductal and lobular cancers. The results of this study further support the suggested in vivo role of Ets-1 for both angiogenesis and tumour invasion, via matrix-degrading proteases which are already expressed during the early stages of breast carcinogenesis.
Behrens
P
P
Institute of Pathology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.
Rothe
M
M
Wellmann
A
A
Krischler
J
J
Wernert
N
N
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
C494041:ETS1 protein, human; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1