Affiliations: Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus,
Chennai, India | Chennai Breast Centre, MRC Nagar, Chennai, India | Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering,
SRM University, Kattankulathur, Chennai, India
Note: [] Corresponding author: B. Ravi Sankar, Department of
Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences,
University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai 600113, India. Tel.: +91 44
24547044; Fax: +91 44 24540709; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women
in the world today. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of
endopeptidases that can degrade extracellular matrix proteins and promote cell
invasion and metastasis. MMPs are differentially expressed and their
expressions are often associated with a poor prognosis for patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate and compare the
expression of MMPs in different grades of human breast cancer tissues with
normal breast tissues. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected 39 breast cancer samples (24
grade II and 15 grade III) along with 16 normal breast tissues from outside the
tumor margin during cancer removal surgery. The samples were analysed for the
expression of all known MMPs using real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The results indicate that mRNA expressions of MMP-1,
-9,-11,-15,-24 and -25 were upregulated in breast cancer tissues when compared
to normal breast tissues. But, the mRNA expressions of MMP-10 and MMP-19 were
downregulated in cancer tissue. In membrane associated MMPs like MMP-15 and
MMP-24 we found a grade dependent increase of their mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Our studies demonstrate that MMPs are differentially
regulated in breast cancer tissues and they might play various roles in tumor
invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Thus, MMPs are of immense value to be
studied as diagnostic markers and drug target.
Keywords: Matrix metalloproteinase, cancer grade, breast cancer, matrix degradation, diagnostic marker
