title: Stromal expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 in cancer-associated fibroblasts is strongly related to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status in invasive breast carcinoma.
abstract: The peritumoral stroma and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been suggested to play an important role in breast tumorigenesis. The specific immunohistochemical characteristics of the stromal component according to the breast carcinoma subtype surrogates of molecular classes is poorly understood. In the present study, immunohistochemical staining was used to evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), which is one of the most important proteins considered to facilitate tumor invasion, in a series of invasive breast carcinomas according to subtype: Luminal A, luminal B, luminal-HER2, HER2-enriched and triple-negative. A significant increase in MMP2 expression was demonstrated in tumors known to exhibit a more aggressive metastatic behavior, such as luminal HER2 (37%), HER2-enriched (30%) and triple-negative tumors (17%), compared with the luminal A (6%) or luminal B (13%) subtypes. Our data indicated that the CAFs associated with different breast subtypes exhibit different specific properties to facilitate tumor invasion.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Genetics, B-6041 Gosselies, Belgium; Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Tivoli University Hospital-Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-7100 La Louvière, Belgium.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Catteau
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; Gynaecology Unit, Department of Pathology, Erasme University Hospital-Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; Gynaecopathology Unit, Department of Pathology, Erasme University Hospital-Université Libre de Bruxelles, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Noël
keywords: breast carcinoma; cancer-associated fibroblasts; human epidermal growth factor receptor-2; luminal; matrix metalloproteinase-2; myofibroblasts; peritumoral stroma