title: HIF-2α as a prognostic marker for breast cancer progression and patient survival.
abstract: Malignant cells show increased invasion potency in vitro and in vivo. This process is considered to be mediated by matrix-metalloproteases (MMPs). Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) may upregulate MMP-2 expression; however, little is known about the correlation between HIF-2α and MMP-2 expressions in breast cancer. The current study investigated this correlation immunohistochemically according to various clinical and pathological features in 102 paraffin-embedded archival tissue block specimens from patients with breast cancer. HIF-2α and MMP-2 expression was detected in 60.8% (62/102) and 65.7% (67/102) of tumor samples, respectively. HIF-2α expression was significantly correlated with tumor size (P = 0.019), lymph node involvement (P = 0.035), and metastasis (P = 0.035). MMP-2 expression was significantly associated with lymph node involvement (P = 0.043) and metastasis (P = 0.003). Univariate analyses revealed that HIF-2α (P = 0.001) and MMP-2 (P = 0.000) expressions were significantly associated with a poorer survival rate, as well as tumor size, lymph node invasion, and distant metastasis. Multivariate analysis revealed that HIF-2α (P = 0.003) and the T-stage (P = 0.000) were independent prognostic factors of overall survival. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that HIF-2α and MMP-2 expressions were significantly correlated (r = 0.990; P = 0.041). These results suggest that high HIF- 2α expression is associated with poor overall survival in patients with breast cancer, indicating that HIF-2α could be a valuable marker of breast cancer progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
authors.forename: H X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
authors.forename: F Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
authors.forename: X H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China lina@xxmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D000099162:Endothelial PAS Domain-Containing Protein 1