@article{3093658,
    title = "The multifunctional role of the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-7
in invasive breast cancer",
    author = "Mylona, E and Kapranou, A and Mavrommatis, J and Markaki, S and and Keramopoulos, A and Nakopoulou, L",
    journal = "APMIS: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica",
    year = "2005",
    volume = "113",
    number = "4",
    pages = "246-255",
    publisher = "Wiley",
    issn = "0903-4641, 1600-0463",
    doi = "10.1111/j.1600-0463.2005.apm_02.x",
    keywords = "MMP-7; matrilysin; breast cancer; immunohistochemistry",
    abstract = "Mylona E, Kapranou E, Mavrommatis J, Markaki S, Keramopoulos A,
Nakopoulou L. The multifunctional role of the immunohistochemical
expression of MMP-7 in invasive breast cancer. APMIS 2005; 113:246-55.
The secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is crucial in the
metastasis of cancer cells, since MMPs are responsible for the
degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Among them, matrix
metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) or matrilysin 1 is a stromelysin which
degrades type-IV collagen, fibronectin and laminin.
Immunohistochernistry was performed to detect MMP-7 protein in
infiltrative breast carcinomas. MMP-7 was studied along with
clinicopathological parameters, disease-free and overall survival, and
p53, c-erbB-2, topoIIa, MMP-2, uPAR and P-catenin. MMP-7
immunoreactivity was detected in the cytoplasm of cancer cells in 54.2%
(96/177) and tumor stromal cells in 47.5%, (84/177), as well as in
normal epithelium adjacent to malignant epithelium. MMP-7 reactivity in
cancer cells displayed an inverse association with nuclear grade (p =
0.049) and topoIIa (p=0.03). A parallel association was observed between
the expression of MMP-7 in both malignant and stromal cells with uPAR in
cancer cells (p=0.033 and p=0.027, respectively). MMP-7 of tumor stromal
cells depicted a parallel correlation with MMP-2 of the same cell type
(p=0.044), while abnormal P-catenin expression was inversely associated
with MMP-7 of cancer cells (p=0.047). Our results show the
multifunctional role of MMP-7 in the mammary gland, since it seems to be
associated with a less aggressive phenotype, while, at the same time,
being involved in invasion, through its collaboration with indicators of
invasion."
}