Prognostic value of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 expression in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Fascin-1 Promotes Cell Metastasis through Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Canine Mammary Tumor Cell Lines

Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) are the most common type of tumor in female dogs. In this study, we obtained a metastatic key protein, Fascin-1, by comparing the proteomics data of in situ tumor and metastatic cell lines from the same individual. However, the role of Fascin-1 in the CMT cell line is still unclear. Firstly, proteomics was used to analyze the differential expression of Fascin-1 between the CMT cell lines CHMm and CHMp. Then, the overexpression (CHMm-OE and CHMp-OE) and knockdown (CHMm-KD and CHMp-KD) cell lines were established by lentivirus transduction. Finally, the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in CHMm and CHMm-OE cells were identified through proteomics. The results showed that the CHMm cells isolated from CMT abdominal metastases exhibited minimal expression of Fascin-1. The migration, adhesion, and invasion ability of CHMm-OE and CHMp-OE cells increased, while the migration, adhesion, and invasion ability of CHMm-KD and CHMp-KD cells decreased. The overexpression of Fascin-1 can upregulate the Tetraspanin 4 (TSPAN4) protein in CHMm cells and increase the number of migrations. In conclusion, re-expressed Fascin-1 could promote cell EMT and increase lamellipodia formation, resulting in the enhancement of CHMm cell migration, adhesion, and invasion in vitro. This may be beneficial to improve female dogs' prognosis of CMT.

The TIMP protein family: diverse roles in pathophysiology

The tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are a family of four matrisome proteins classically defined by their roles as the primary endogenous inhibitors of metalloproteinases (MPs). Their functions however are not limited to MP inhibition, with each family member harboring numerous MP-independent biological functions that play key roles in processes such as inflammation and apoptosis. Because of these multifaceted functions, TIMPs have been cited in diverse pathophysiological contexts. Herein, we provide a comprehensive overview of the MP-dependent and -independent roles of TIMPs across a range of pathological conditions. The potential therapeutic and biomarker applications of TIMPs in these disease contexts are also considered, highlighting the biomedical promise of this complex and often misunderstood protein family.

Matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors in multiple myeloma: promote or inhibit?

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) play a vital role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM), especially for tumor invasion and osteolytic osteopathy. By breaking down extracellular matrix (ECM) components and releasing the proteins composing the ECM and growth factors, as well as their receptors, MMPs affect tissue integrity and promote cancer cell invasion and metastasis. A vital pathophysiological characteristic of MM is the progress of osteolytic lesions, which are brought on by interactions between myeloma cells and the bone marrow microenvironment. MMPs, certainly, are one of the fundamental causes of myeloma bone disease due to their ability to degrade various types of collagens. TIMPs, as important regulators of MMP hydrolysis or activation, also participate in the occurrence and evolution of MM and the formation of bone disease. This review focuses on the role of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-13, MMP-14, and MMP-15 and the four types of TIMPs in the invasion of myeloma cells, angiogenesis, osteolytic osteopathy, to offer some novel perspectives on the clinical diagnostics and therapeutics of MM.

Matrix Metallopeptidase-Gene Signature Predicts Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma Survival Outcomes

Tumor recurrence poses a significant challenge to the clinical management of stage I lung adenocarcinoma after curative surgical resection. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) increase expression and correlate with recurrence and metastasis in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer. However, the impact of MMPs on survival outcome varies, and their roles in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma remain unclear. In two discovery cohorts, we first analyzed 226 stage I-II lung adenocarcinoma cases in the GSE31210 cohort using a clustering-based method and identified a 150-gene MMP cluster with increased expression in tumors associated with worse survival outcomes. A similar analysis was performed on 517 lung adenocarcinoma cases in the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort. A 185-gene MMP cluster was identified, which also showed increased expression in tumors and correlated with poor survival outcomes. We further streamlined from the discovery cohorts a 36-gene MMP signature significantly associated with recurrence and worse overall survival in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma after surgical resection. After adjusting for covariates, the high MMP-gene signature expression remained an independent risk factor. In addition, the MMP-gene signature showed enrichment in epidermal growth factor receptor wild-type lung tumors, especially for those with Kirsten rat sarcoma virus mutations. Using an independent validation cohort, we further validated the MMP-gene signature in 70 stage I lung adenocarcinoma cases. In conclusion, MMP-gene signature is a potential predictive and prognostic biomarker to stratify patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma into subgroups based on their risk of recurrence for aiding physicians in deciding the personalized adjuvant therapeutics.

Does the Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Bcl-2 Have a Prognostic Significance in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is the most common cause of mortality from malignant tumors worldwide. The five-year survival rate for people with advanced stages varies considerably, from 35.4% to 6.9%. The angiogenic potential of bcl2 is not well known, nor is the way in which tumor cells with excessive bcl2 expression affect VEGF production. Hypothetically, given that tumor growth, progression and metastasis are dependent on angiogenesis, the antiapoptotic effect is expected to form a link between these two molecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between bcl-2 and VEGF expression, clinicopathological features and survival in 216 patients with advanced NSCLC. Archival tumor tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry for the expression of bcl-2 and VEGF. Immunoreactivity for bcl-2 was observed in 41.4% of NSCLCs, 51% of squamous and 34.8% of adenocarcinomas-expressed Bcl-2. There was an inverse correlation of mononuclear stromal reaction and bcl-2 expression in adenocarcinoma (p < 0.0005). A total of 71.8% NSCLCs were VEGF positive, 56% of squamous and 82.2% of adenocarcinomas. High level of VEGF expression was significantly associated with histology type (p = 0.043), low histology grade (p = 0.014), clinical stage IV (p = 0.018), smoking history (p = 0.008) and EGFR mutations (p = 0.026). There was an inverse correlation in the expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in NSCLC patients (p = 0.039, r = -0.163). Two-year survival of patients with unresectable NSCLC was 39.3%, and 50% of patients were alive at 17 months. Our results demonstrated no difference in survival for patients in advanced NSCLC grouped by bcl-2 and VEGF status. Additionally, we observed an inverse correlation in the expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in NSCLC and mononuclear reaction and bcl-2 expression in adenocarcinomas.

Apelin Promotes Prostate Cancer Metastasis by Downregulating TIMP2 via Increases in miR-106a-5p Expression

Prostate cancer commonly affects the urinary tract of men and metastatic prostate cancer has a very low survival rate. Apelin belongs to the family of adipokines and is associated with cancer development and metastasis. However, the effects of apelin in prostate cancer metastasis is undetermined. Analysis of the database revealed a positive correlation between apelin level with the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer patients. Apelin treatment facilitates cell migration and invasion through inhibiting tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) expression. The increasing miR-106a-5p synthesis via c-Src/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is controlled in apelin-regulated TIMP2 production and cell motility. Importantly, apelin blockade inhibits prostate cancer metastasis in the orthotopic mouse model. Thus, apelin is a promising therapeutic target for curing metastatic prostate cancer.

Novel Roles of MT1-MMP and MMP-2: Beyond the Extracellular Milieu

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are critical enzymes involved in a variety of cellular processes. MMPs are well known for their ability to degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM) and their extracellular role in cell migration. Recently, more research has been conducted on investigating novel subcellular localizations of MMPs and their intracellular roles at their respective locations. In this review article, we focus on the subcellular localization and novel intracellular roles of two closely related MMPs: membrane-type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Although MT1-MMP is commonly known to localize on the cell surface, the protease also localizes to the cytoplasm, caveolae, Golgi, cytoskeleton, centrosome, and nucleus. At these subcellular locations, MT1-MMP functions in cell migration, macrophage metabolism, invadopodia development, spindle formation and gene expression, respectively. Similar to MT1-MMP, MMP-2 localizes to the caveolae, mitochondria, cytoskeleton, nucleus and nucleolus and functions in calcium regulation, contractile dysfunction, gene expression and ribosomal RNA transcription. Our particular interest lies in the roles MMP-2 and MT1-MMP serve within the nucleus, as they may provide critical insights into cancer epigenetics and tumor migration and invasion. We suggest that targeting nuclear MT1-MMP or MMP-2 to reduce or halt cell proliferation and migration may lead to the development of new therapies for cancer and other diseases.

Expression and clinical significance of Cathepsin K and MMPs in invasive non-functioning pituitary adenomas

Background

Cathepsin K (CTSK) is a protease that degrades type I collagen and extracellular matrix, thereby contributing to bone resorption and tumor invasion. Some pituitary adenomas (PAs) could invade the sphenoid sinus (SS) and cavernous sinus (CS).

Purpose

This retrospective cohort study aimed to study the expression of tumoral biomarkers (CTSK, MMP9, MMP2, TIMP2, and PTTG1) and evaluate their clinical significance in non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) with different invasion patterns.

Methods

We assessed the expression levels of candidate invasion-specific protein biomarkers CTSK, MMP9, MMP2, TIMP2, and PTTG1 by immunohistochemical staining in paraffin-embedded NFPA tumor tissues. Variations in staining intensity were analyzed in cases with SS and CS invasion and non-invasive NFPAs.

Results

We found that the levels of CTSK were higher in PA cases with SS invasion than that in PA cases with CS invasion (95.57 ± 31.57 vs. 65.29 ± 29.64, P < 0.001), and the expression of MMP9 and MMP2 was higher in CS-invasive cases than that in SS-invasive cases (145.02 ± 49.25 vs. 111.80 ± 51.37, P = 0.002, and 138.67 ± 52.06 vs. 108.30 ± 41.70, P = 0.002). Multiple Cox regression demonstrated that higher CTSK expression (P=0.011), subtotal resection (P<0.001), invasion (P=0.037), and larger tumor diameter (P=0.001) were independent risk factors for recurrence. A positive correlation was observed between CTSK expression and tumor size (r=0.671, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in TIMP2 and PTTG1 levels between CS-and SS-invasive cases (97.42± 39.80 vs. 102.10± 43.22, P = 0.58 and 13.89 ± 4.59 vs. 12.56 ± 3.96, P = 0.14).

Conclusion

Our data indicated that CTSK has the potential as a marker for SS invasion of PAs, whereas MMP9 and MMP2 may be markers for CS invasion. And CTSK may play an important role in tumor relapse.

The Roles of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors in Human Diseases

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling endopeptidases that have the capacity to degrade almost every component of the ECM. The degradation of the ECM is of great importance, since it is related to embryonic development and angiogenesis. It is also involved in cell repair and the remodeling of tissues. When the expression of MMPs is altered, it can generate the abnormal degradation of the ECM. This is the initial cause of the development of chronic degenerative diseases and vascular complications generated by diabetes. In addition, this process has an association with neurodegeneration and cancer progression. Within the ECM, the tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) inhibit the proteolytic activity of MMPs. TIMPs are important regulators of ECM turnover, tissue remodeling, and cellular behavior. Therefore, TIMPs (similar to MMPs) modulate angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. An interruption in the balance between MMPs and TIMPs has been implicated in the pathophysiology and progression of several diseases. This review focuses on the participation of both MMPs (e.g., MMP-2 and MMP-9) and TIMPs (e.g., TIMP-1 and TIMP-3) in physiological processes and on how their abnormal regulation is associated with human diseases. The inclusion of current strategies and mechanisms of MMP inhibition in the development of new therapies targeting MMPs was also considered.

Tumoral and stromal expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and VEGF-A in cervical cancer patient survival: a competing risk analysis

BACKGROUND

Expression of matrix metalloproteases 2, 9 and 14 (MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14), tissue inhibitors of metalloprotease 1 and 2 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is involved in tumor invasion and metastasis via extracellular matrix degradation and angiogenesis. This study aimed to assess whether the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in tumors and in the adjacent stroma is associated with cervical cancer prognosis.

METHODS

This study analyzed a retrospective cohort of 64 patients. Protein expression was previously obtained by immunohistochemistry from biopsies containing both tumor and stroma. The expression and percentage of stained cells were categorized as high or low according to the cutoff points by using ROC curves. The follow-up data was collected from diagnosis to the last clinical visit. Clinical status categorized as alive without disease, alive with disease, death due to other causes, and death from the disease. The relative risk of death from the disease was evaluated according to the proteins expression using a cause-specific Cox regression model with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI). For the significant associations (p < 0.05), survival curves of patients with low and high expression were plotted for the competing risk survival curve analyses.

RESULTS

High expression levels of stromal MMP-2 (RR; 95%CI: 3.91; 1.17-13.02) and stromal TIMP-2 (RR, 95%CI: 8.67; 1.15-65.27) were associated with a greater relative risk of death from the disease and with lower survival (p = 0.03; p = 0.04) than lower expression levels. Low expression levels of stromal MMP-9 (RR, 95%CI: 0.19; 0.05-0.65) and tumoral MMP-9 (HR, 95%CI: 0.19; 0.04-0.90) were protective factors against death from the disease and were associated with poorer survival.

CONCLUSIONS

High expression levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the stroma were significantly associated with poor survival in cervical cancer patients. High expression of MMP-9 was associated with a favorable cervical cancer prognosis.

TIMP-2 inhibits metastasis and predicts prognosis of colorectal cancer via regulating MMP-9

Colorectal cancer has a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to detect reliable biomarkers to predict prognosis in CRC. Here, we determined the expression of TIMP-2 and MMP-9 in a  CRC tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry. We found that lower TIMP-2 or/and higher MMP-9 expression in cancer tissues was correlated with poorer overall survival (OS). TIMP-2 or MMP-9 expression was independent prognostic factors for CRC. Furthermore, TIMP-2 and MMP-9 expression had a synergistic role as efficient prognostic indicators for CRC patients. In vitro and in vivo, TIMP-2 could inhibit HCT 116 cells invasion and migration by regulating MMP-9. In sum, a combined expression of TIMP-2 and MMP-9 as efficient prognostic indicators was found for the first time.

A transcriptional co-expression network-based approach to identify prognostic biomarkers in gastric carcinoma

Background

Gastric carcinoma is a very diverse disease. The progression of gastric carcinoma is influenced by complicated gene networks. This study aims to investigate the actual and potential prognostic biomarkers related to survival in gastric carcinoma patients to further our understanding of tumor biology.

Methods

A weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed with a transcriptome dataset to identify networks and hub genes relevant to gastric carcinoma prognosis. Data was obtained from 300 primary gastric carcinomas (GSE62254). A validation dataset (GSE34942 and GSE15459) and TCGA dataset confirmed the results. Gene ontology, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to identify the clusters responsible for the biological processes and pathways of this disease.

Results

A brown transcriptional module enriched in the organizational process of the extracellular matrix was significantly correlated with overall survival (HR = 1.586, p = 0.005, 95% CI [1.149–2.189]) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.544, p = 0.008, 95% CI [1.119–2.131]). These observations were confirmed in the validation dataset (HR = 1.664, p = 0.006, 95% CI [1.155–2.398] in overall survival). Ten hub genes were identified and confirmed in the validation dataset from this brown module; five key biomarkers (COL8A1, FRMD6, TIMP2, CNRIP1 and GPR124 (ADGRA2)) were identified for further research in microsatellite instability (MSI) and epithelial-tomesenchymal transition (MSS/EMT) gastric carcinoma molecular subtypes. A high expression of these genes indicated a poor prognosis.

Conclusion

A transcriptional co-expression network-based approach was used to identify prognostic biomarkers in gastric carcinoma. This method may have potential for use in personalized therapies, however, large-scale randomized controlled clinical trials and replication experiments are needed before these key biomarkers can be applied clinically.

Matrisome-Associated Gene Expression Patterns Correlating with TIMP2 in Cancer

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to facilitate invasion and metastasis is a universal hallmark of cancer progression. However, a definitive therapeutic target remains to be identified in this tissue compartment. As major modulators of ECM structure and function, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are highly expressed in cancer and have been shown to support tumor progression. MMP enzymatic activity is inhibited by the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP1-4) family of proteins, suggesting that TIMPs may possess anti-tumor activity. TIMP2 is a promiscuous MMP inhibitor that is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues. In this study, we address inconsistencies in the literature regarding the role of TIMP2 in tumor progression by analyzing co-expressed genes in tumor vs. normal tissue. Utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue expression studies, focusing on breast and lung carcinomas, we analyzed the correlation between TIMP2 expression and the transcriptome to identify a list of genes whose expression is highly correlated with TIMP2 in tumor tissues. Bioinformatic analysis of the identified gene list highlights a core of matrix and matrix-associated genes that are of interest as potential modulators of TIMP2 function, thus ECM structure, identifying potential tumor microenvironment biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for further study.

MicroRNA-130b functions as an oncomiRNA in non-small cell lung cancer by targeting tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although many molecular-targeted drugs for NSCLC have been developed in recent years, the 5-year survival rate of patients with NSCLC remains low. Therefore, an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the biology of NSCLC is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of NSCLC. In this study, we examined the role of miR-130b in NSCLC. Our results showed that high expression of miR-130b in clinical specimens was significantly associated with poor overall survival in patients with NSCLC. Moreover, miR-130b expression was significantly increased in NSCLC clinical specimens from patients with vascular and lymphatic invasion. Consistent with this, overexpression of miR-130b promoted invasion and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity in A549 cells. Argonaute2 immunoprecipitation and gene array analysis identified tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) as a target of miR-130b. Invasion activity promoted by miR-130b was attenuated by TIMP-2 overexpression in A549 cells. Furthermore, TIMP-2 concentrations in serum were inversely correlated with relative miR-130b expression in tumor tissues from the same patients with NSCLC. Overall, miR-130b was found to act as an oncomiR, promoting metastasis by downregulating TIMP-2 and invasion activities in NSCLC cells.

TIMP2 is a Poor Prognostic Factor and Predicts Metastatic Biological Behavior in Gastric Cancer

To explore the prognostic related factors and mechanisms of gastric cancer (GC), we performed the systematic analysis with integrated bioinformatics tools based on multiple on-line datasets. With uni-variate COX analysis, we screened out 37 survival hazardous genes in GC. Further GO assays disclosed that the signatures related with extracellular matrix and structure, and the functions of "cell adhesion molecule binding" and "integrin binding" were the vital mechanisms of disease progression, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP2) was the potential biomarker for prognosis. Based on GSEA, GSVA and GCN, TIMP2 was demonstrated to interact with multiple integrin pathways and involve in the regulation of EMT, cell adhesion, and angiogenesis of GC. The associations of TIMP2 expression with reduced OS and RFS of patients were declared by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and further confirmed by 1000 internal bootstrap replications and external KM plotter analysis. With multi-variate COX regression and time-dependent ROC analysis, we validated the prediction independency and capacity of TIMP2 for prognosis. The relationships of TIMP2 with clinicopathological characteristics were also uncovered. Taken together, our findings identify TIMP2 as the novel candidate biomarker for poorer outcome of GC patients, and revealed the underlying functions of TIMP2 and the potential mechanisms for GC progression.

Macromolecule-Network Electrostatics Controlling Delivery of the Biotherapeutic Cell Modulator TIMP-2

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) is an endogenous 22 kDa proteinase inhibitor, demonstrating antitumorigenic, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic activities in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant TIMP-2 is currently undergoing preclinical testing in multiple, murine tumor models. Here we report the development of an inert, injectable peptide hydrogel matrix enabling encapsulation and sustained release of TIMP-2. We studied the TIMP-2 release profile from four β-hairpin peptide gels of varying net electrostatic charge. A negatively charged peptide gel (designated AcVES3) enabling encapsulation of 4 mg/mL of TIMP-2, without effects on rheological properties, facilitated the slow sustained release (0.9%/d) of TIMP-2 over 28 d. Released TIMP-2 is structurally intact and maintains the ability to inhibit MMP activity, as well as suppress lung cancer cell proliferation in vitro. These findings suggest that the AcVES3 hydrogel will be useful as an injectable vehicle for systemic delivery of TIMP-2 in vivo for ongoing preclinical development.

High expression of MMP-9 is associated with better prognosis in extrahepatic bile duct cancer patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in patients with extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer undergoing surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy.

METHODS

Between January 2000 and August 2006, patients who underwent complete resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy for EHBD cancer were enrolled in this study. The expression of MMP-9 was assessed with immunohistochemical staining. The prognostic values of the MMP-9 expression and other clinicopathologic factors were evaluated in univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Sixty-six patients were included in this study. All received radiotherapy with a median dose of 40 Gy (range, 40-56), and 61 patients received concomitant fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. MMP-9 was highly expressed in 33 patients (50.0%). MMP-9 expression was significantly associated with locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) and overall survival (OS) but not with distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). The 5-year LRRFS and OS rates were 50.8% versus 86.5% (p = .0281), and 23.3% versus 68.1% (p = .0087) in patients with low and high expression of MMP-9, respectively. Among the clinicopathologic factors, tumor location was associated with DMFS and OS (p = .0292 and .0003, respectively). Nodal stage and histologic differentiation showed significant association with DMFS (p = .0277 and .0060, respectively). Based on multivariate analysis for OS, tumor location was the only significant prognostic factor (p = .0021), while MMP-9 expression showed marginal significance (p = .0633).

CONCLUSION

MMP-9 expression is a useful prognostic factor for predicting LRRFS and OS in patients with EHBD cancer after surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy.

Plasma levels and diagnostic utility of VEGF, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the diagnostics of breast cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

We investigated plasma levels and diagnostic utility of vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in comparison to cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3).

METHODS

Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) while CA 15-3 with chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA).

RESULTS

The plasma levels of VEGF, TIMP-2 showed significantly higher than CA 15-3 values of the diagnostic sensitivity, the predictive values of positive and negative test results (PPV, NPV) and the area under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) in early stages of breast cancer (BC). The combined use of the tested parameters with CA 15-3 resulted in the increase in sensitivity, NPV and AUC, especially in the combination with VEGF (83%; 72%; 0.888) and TIMP-2 (83%; 72%; 0.894). The highest values were obtained for combination of all three parameters (93%; 85%; 0.923).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the usefulness of the tested parameters in the diagnosis of BC, especially VEGF and TIMP-2 with CA 15-3 in early stages of BC, which could be a new diagnostic panel.

Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of MT1-MMP-Dependent Cancer Cell Invasion

Metastasis is responsible for most cancer-associated deaths. Accumulating evidence based on 3D migration models has revealed a diversity of invasive migratory schemes reflecting the plasticity of tumor cells to switch between proteolytic and nonproteolytic modes of invasion. Yet, initial stages of localized regional tumor dissemination require proteolytic remodeling of the extracellular matrix to overcome tissue barriers. Recent data indicate that surface-exposed membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), belonging to a group of membrane-anchored MMPs, plays a central role in pericellular matrix degradation during basement membrane and interstitial tissue transmigration programs. In addition, a large body of work indicates that MT1-MMP is targeted to specialized actin-rich cell protrusions termed invadopodia, which are responsible for matrix degradation. This review describes the multistep assembly of actin-based invadopodia in molecular details. Mechanisms underlying MT1-MMP traffic to invadopodia through endocytosis/recycling cycles, which are key to the invasive program of carcinoma cells, are discussed.

RAB2A controls MT1-MMP endocytic and E-cadherin polarized Golgi trafficking to promote invasive breast cancer programs

The mechanisms of tumor cell dissemination and the contribution of membrane trafficking in this process are poorly understood. Through a functional siRNA screening of human RAB GTPases, we found that RAB2A, a protein essential for ER-to-Golgi transport, is critical in promoting proteolytic activity and 3D invasiveness of breast cancer (BC) cell lines. Remarkably, RAB2A is amplified and elevated in human BC and is a powerful and independent predictor of disease recurrence in BC patients. Mechanistically, RAB2A acts at two independent trafficking steps. Firstly, by interacting with VPS39, a key component of the late endosomal HOPS complex, it controls post-endocytic trafficking of membrane-bound MT1-MMP, an essential metalloprotease for matrix remodeling and invasion. Secondly, it further regulates Golgi transport of E-cadherin, ultimately controlling junctional stability, cell compaction, and tumor invasiveness. Thus, RAB2A is a novel trafficking determinant essential for regulation of a mesenchymal invasive program of BC dissemination.

RAB2A controls MT1-MMP endocytic and E-cadherin polarized Golgi trafficking to promote invasive breast cancer programs

The mechanisms of tumor cell dissemination and the contribution of membrane trafficking in this process are poorly understood. Through a functional siRNA screening of human RAB GTPases, we found that RAB2A, a protein essential for ER-to-Golgi transport, is critical in promoting proteolytic activity and 3D invasiveness of breast cancer (BC) cell lines. Remarkably, RAB2A is amplified and elevated in human BC and is a powerful and independent predictor of disease recurrence in BC patients. Mechanistically, RAB2A acts at two independent trafficking steps. Firstly, by interacting with VPS39, a key component of the late endosomal HOPS complex, it controls post-endocytic trafficking of membrane-bound MT1-MMP, an essential metalloprotease for matrix remodeling and invasion. Secondly, it further regulates Golgi transport of E-cadherin, ultimately controlling junctional stability, cell compaction, and tumor invasiveness. Thus, RAB2A is a novel trafficking determinant essential for regulation of a mesenchymal invasive program of BC dissemination.

Elevated RABEX-5 expression predicts poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer

RABEX-5 has been studied in various solid tumors, but its role in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unknown. This study is aimed to investigate the expression, the potential relevance to clinicopathological characters and prognostic significance of RABEX-5 in patients with NSCLC. A total of 120 NSCLC patients who underwent radical surgery between 2005 and 2010 were enrolled in the study. The clinicopathological data and survival time were reviewed. The mRNA and protein expression of RABEX-5 from the paired tumor specimens and adjacent normal tissues were determined, and its relationship with clinicopathological variables and prognosis was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the prognostic significance of RABEX-5 for NSCLC. We found the mRNA and protein expression levels of RABEX-5 were significantly elevated in NSCLC tissues. The increased RABEX-5 expression was correlated strongly with tumor recurrence (P=0.005). The 5-year median OS and DFS were significantly shorter in the higher RABEX-5 expression group compared to that in the lower RABEX-5 expression group. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that high RABEX-5 expression was an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFS (P<0.001). This data suggests that RABEX-5 is a potentially useful indicator for a poor prognosis for NSCLC.