Increased mRNA expression of ADAMTS metalloproteinases in metastatic foci of head and neck cancer.
BACKGROUND
Although contribution of matrix metalloproteinases in cancer progression and dissemination is now well known, roles of recently discovered metalloproteinases, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS), in cancer development and progression remain mostly unknown.


METHODS
Here we examined the mRNA expression pattern of 6 members of ADAMTS aggrecanases (1, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 15) in primary head and neck cancer with and without metastasis by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Expression levels of ADAMTS mRNAs were lower in the majority of the primary tumors as compared with the controls. On the other hand, the expression levels of all of the ADAMTS mRNAs except ADAMTS4 were higher in the metastatic foci than in their corresponding primary tumors, which suggest that characteristics of the cancer cell population are different in the primary tumor and metastatic focus.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest a metastasis model proposing accumulation of a subtype of cancer cells with high metastatic capacity within heterogenous primary tumor cell population.
Demircan
Kadir
K
Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Shikatacho, Okayama, Japan.
Gunduz
Esra
E
Gunduz
Mehmet
M
Beder
Levent Bekir
LB
Hirohata
Satoshi
S
Nagatsuka
Hitoshi
H
Cengiz
Beyhan
B
Cilek
Mehmet Zeynel
MZ
Yamanaka
Noboru
N
Shimizu
Kenji
K
Ninomiya
Yoshifumi
Y
D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071116:ADAMTS5 Protein; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000071116:ADAMTS5 Protein; C121532:ADAMTS5 protein, human