Affiliations: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS),
School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga,
Portugal | Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, Brazil | Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Federal
University of Goiás, Goiânia, Go., Brazil | Hospital Araújo Jorge, Goiània, Go.,
Brazil | IPATIMUP, Institute of Pathology and Immunology,
University of Porto, Porto, Portugal | Medical Faculty of the University of Porto, Porto,
Portugal
Note: [] Corresponding author: Fátima Baltazar, Life and Health
Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho,
4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Tel.: +351 253604828; Fax: +351 253604820; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: Due to the highly glycolytic metabolism of solid tumours, there is
an increased acid production, however, cells are able to maintain physiological
pH through plasma membrane efflux of the accumulating protons. Acid efflux
through MCTs (monocarboxylate transporters) constitutes one of the most
important mechanisms involved in tumour intracellular pH maintenance. Still,
the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of these proteins are not
fully understood. We aimed to evaluate the association between CD147 (MCT1 and
MCT4 chaperone) and MCT expression in cervical cancer lesions and the
clinico-pathological significance of CD147 expression, alone and in combination
with MCTs. The series included 83 biopsy samples of precursor lesions and
surgical specimens of 126 invasive carcinomas. Analysis of CD147 expression was
performed by immunohistochemistry. CD147 expression was higher in squamous and
adenocarcinoma tissues than in the non-neoplastic counterparts and,
importantly, both MCT1 and MCT4 were more frequently expressed in CD147
positive cases. Additionally, co-expression of CD147 with MCT1 was associated
with lymph-node and/or distant metastases in adenocarcinomas. Our results show
a close association between CD147 and MCT1 and MCT4 expressions in human
cervical cancer and provided evidence for a prognostic value of CD147 and MCT1
co-expression.
