%0 Journal Article
%T Correlation between MMPs and their inhibitors in breast cancer tumor tissue specimens and in cell lines with different metastatic potential
%A Rita CS Figueira
%A Luciana R Gomes
%A Jo£żo S Neto
%A Fabricio C Silva
%A Ismael DCG Silva
%A Mari C Sogayar
%J BMC Cancer
%D 2009
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2407-9-20
%X We analyzed the expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and MMP-14 and their inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and RECK) by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) in five human breast cancer cell lines presenting increased invasiveness and metastatic potential, 72 primary breast tumors and 30 adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, the role of cell-extracellular matrix elements interactions in the regulation of expression and activity of MMPs and their inhibitors was analyzed by culturing these cell lines on plastic or on artificial ECM (Matrigel).The results demonstrated that MMPs mRNA expression levels displayed a positive and statistically significant correlation with the transcriptional expression levels of their inhibitors both in the cell line models and in the tumor tissue samples. Furthermore, the expression of all MMP inhibitors was modulated by cell-Matrigel contact only in highly invasive and metastatic cell lines. The enzyme/inhibitor balance at the transcriptional level significantly favors the enzyme which is more evident in tumor than in adjacent non-tumor tissue samples.Our results suggest that the expression of MMPs and their inhibitors, at least at the transcriptional level, might be regulated by common factors and signaling pathways. Therefore, the multi-factorial analysis of these molecules could provide new and independent prognostic information contributing to the determination of more adequate therapy strategies for each patient.Among diverse cancer types, breast carcinoma stands out for its increasing incidence rates and high mortality worldwide [1]. Like most solid tumors, metastatic disease rather than the primary tumor itself is responsible for death [2-4]. The metastatic process involves a complex cascade of events, including the organized breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) [5,6]. Together, the MMPs are able to process or degrade all ECM components. Each ECM element is cleaved by a specific MMP or MMP group [7]. The acti
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/9/20