TIMP-2 is an endogenous inhibitor of MMPs. Most data from model systems suggest that high levels of this inhibitor prevent metastasis. In human breast cancers, however, we show that high levels of TIMP-2 correlate with both shortened disease-free interval and overall survival. In primary breast cancers, TIMP-2 levels showed no significant relationship with either tumor size or axillary node status but correlated inversely with estrogen receptor levels. TIMP-2 levels also correlated significantly with those for TIMP-1. We conclude that high levels of endogenous TIMP-2, like other protease inhibitors such as PAI-1 and TIMP-1, correlate with progression of human breast cancer.
The prognostic value of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in preoperatively obtained sera samples (s-suPAR) from breast cancer patients was determined by the use of a kinetic ELISA in sera from 274 breast cancer patients. In addition, suPAR levels were analyzed in 174 female blood donors.The mean suPAR level was 3.8 ng/ml (range, 1.6-9.2 ng/ml) in the patients and 3 ng/ml (range, 1.3-6.4 ng/ml) in the donors. A weak but significant linear association was found between suPAR and age in the donors; thus, all of the suPAR levels were adjusted for this age dependency.
The suPAR levels were significantly increased in the patients as compared with the donors (P < 0.0001). No difference was found between the lymph node-positive and -negative patients (P = 0.27). During the follow-up period (5.9 years) 77 patients experienced a relapse and 69 died. suPAR as a continuous variable was significantly associated with relapse-free survival [hazard ratio (HR), 1.4; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-1.8; P = 0.003] and overall survival (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.0; P < 0.0001). In multivariate Cox analysis including the classical prognostic parameters in breast cancer, continuous suPAR was significantly associated with both relapse-free survival (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7; P = 0.001) and overall survival (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.8; P = 0.002). In these analyses positive lymph nodes, tumor size >2 cm, and negative estrogen receptor content were also significantly associated with patient outcome. This study shows that high preoperative suPAR levels are significantly associated with poor outcome for breast cancer patients independent of lymph node status, tumor size, and estrogen receptor status.
The adamalysin-thrombospondin (ADAMTS) proteinases are a relatively newly described branch of the metzincin family that contain metalloproteinase, disintegrin, and thrombospondin motifs. They have been implicated in various cellular events, including cleavage of proteoglycans, extracellular matrix degradation, inhibition of angiogenesis, gonadal development, and organogenesis. However, in many cases, their normal physiological roles and their potential for dysregulation in malignancy remain to be established. The expression profile of ADAMTS1-20 in human breast carcinoma was undertaken by real-time PCR using RNA isolated from malignant tumors, nonneoplastic mammary tissue, and breast cancer cell lines to identify altered regulation that may have potential pathogenetic and prognostic significance. Our studies show that seven of the ADAMTS genes (ADAMTS1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, and 18) are consistently down-regulated in breast carcinomas with respect to nonneoplastic mammary tissue, irrespective of the heterogeneity of the samples and the tumor type or grade (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.0001 for each gene). Conversely, ADAMTS4, 6, 14, and 20 are consistently up-regulated in breast carcinomas (P = 0.005, P < 0.0001, P = 0.003, and P = 0.001, respectively). ADAMTS2, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 19 show no significant difference between the sample types. ADAMTS1, 2, 7, 8, 10, and 12 are expressed predominantly in stromal fibroblasts. ADAMTS3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 13-20 inclusive are expressed predominantly in myoepithelial cells; all appear to be relatively poorly expressed in luminal epithelial cells. ADAMTS15 has emerged as being an independent predictor of survival, with RNA expression levels significantly lower (P = 0.007) in grade 3 breast carcinoma compared with grade 1 and 2 breast carcinoma.