Relevance of matrix metalloproteases in non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis

• Published in: BMC cancer 2017-12, Vol.17 (1), p.823-823, Article 823
• Main Authors: Blanco-Prieto, Sonia, Barcia-Castro, Leticia, Páez de la Cadena, María, Rodríguez-Berrocal, Francisco Javier, Vázquez-Iglesias, Lorena, Botana-Rial, María Isabel, Fernández-Villar, Alberto, De Chiara, Loretta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Cancer; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - blood; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnosis; Case-Control Studies; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Lung cancer, Non-small cell; Lung cancer, Small cell; Lung Neoplasms - blood; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Male; Matrix metalloproteases; Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted - blood; Middle Aged; Non-small cell lung cancer; Proteases; Respiratory tract diseases; Serum biomarkers; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 - blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3842-z

The need for novel biomarkers that could aid in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) detection, together with the relevance of Matrix Metalloproteases (MMPs) -1, -2, -7, -9 and -10 in lung tumorigenesis, prompted us to assess the diagnostic usefulness of these MMPs and the Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase (TIMP) -1 in NSCLC patients. Markers were evaluated in an initial study cohort (19 NSCLC cases and 19 healthy controls). Those that better performed were analyzed in a larger sample including patients with benign lung diseases. Serum MMPs and TIMP-1 were determined by multiplexed immunoassays. Logistic regression was employed for multivariate analysis of biomarker combinations. MMPs and TIMP-1 were elevated in the serum of NSCLC patients compared to healthy controls. MMP-1, -7 and -9 performed at best and were further evaluated in the sample including benign pathologies, corroborating the superiority of MMP-9 in NSCLC discrimination, also at early-stage NSCLC. The optimal diagnostic value was obtained with the model including MMP-9, gender, age and smoking history, that demonstrated an AUC of 0.787, 85.54% sensitivity and 64.89% specificity. Our results suggest that MMP-9 is a potential biomarker for NSCLC diagnosis and its combined measurement with other biomarkers could improve NSCLC detection.