title: Immunoexpression of ROCK-1 and MMP-9 as prognostic markers in breast cancer.
abstract: Breast cancer is the most common tumor in women and it has high mortality mainly due to the occurrence of tumor metastasis. Both the processes of cell migration and anchorage to the substrate are essential for the development of metastasis. These processes occur by rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, regulated by Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK-1). The degradation of the extracellular matrix, influenced by metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) also exerts greater cell invasiveness. The present study evaluated the ROCK-1 and MMP-9 proteins using an immunohistochemical method through the selection of invasive ductal breast carcinoma. The protein expression was correlated to clinicopathological parameters and overall survival of the patients. High expression of the ROCK-1 protein was correlated statistically to the status of lymph nodes (p=0.007) and showed variable expression in different clinical stages of the tumor. MMP-9 showed a strong immunostaining in patients with metastasis that had died, whereas there was no marker in normal breast tissues. In addition, 46.6% of patients classified as poor prognosis showed high expression of ROCK-1 and MMP-9 protein and another 40.0% just showed high expression of MMP-9. Thus, the differential expression of ROCK-1 and MMP-9 proteins suggests their potential use as prognostic markers in breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Laboratório de Investigação Molecular do Câncer (LIMC), Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15090-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jenifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bottino
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Laboratório de Investigação Molecular do Câncer (LIMC), Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15090-000, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP/IBILCE), Program of Post-Graduate in Genetics, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Bottaro
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Gelaleti
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Laboratório de Investigação Molecular do Câncer (LIMC), Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15090-000, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP/IBILCE), Program of Post-Graduate in Genetics, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Bazela
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Maschio
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Laboratório de Investigação Molecular do Câncer (LIMC), Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15090-000, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP/IBILCE), Program of Post-Graduate in Genetics, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna Victorasso
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Jardim-Perassi
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP), Laboratório de Investigação Molecular do Câncer (LIMC), Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15090-000, Brazil; Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (UNESP/IBILCE), Program of Post-Graduate in Genetics, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Paulo 15054-000, Brazil. Electronic address: debora.zuccari@famerp.br.
authors.forename: Debora Aparecida Pires
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: de Campos Zuccari
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C515851:ROCK1 protein, human; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
keywords: Human breast cancer; Metalloproteinase-9; Prognostic markers; Rho-associated protein kinase 1