Urokinase expression in course of benign and malignant mammary lesions: comparison between nodular and healthy tissues

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2010, Vol.136 (1), p.157-163
• Main Authors: Ceccarelli, Francesca, Fuso, Andrea, Civitelli, Liana, Ranieri, Ersilia, Caprio, Giuliana, Pagni, Paola, Rengo, Mario, Scarpa, Sigfrido
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Breast - metabolism; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer Research; Female; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proteases; Rapid Communication; Receptor, ErbB-2 - genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tumors; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator - genetics
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-009-0694-1

Purpose Increased expression of urokinase (uPA), a member of the serine protease family, is an effector of metastatic cascade and has been reported in various malignancies, including breast cancer. uPA overexpression in cancer tissues was correlated with a more aggressive phenotype and it is considered a strong and independent unfavorable prognostic factor in breast cancer. Methods Using real-time PCR assay, we analyzed uPA expression of malignant and benign breast nodular lesions versus healthy tissues (normal breast and lymphocytes). Results We found that besides breast cancer nodule, normal mammary gland and lymphocytes overexpressed uPA too. Tissues obtained from women with benign lesions expressed homogeneous and lower uPA. Conclusions In conclusion, although uPA overexpression is typical of cancer tissues, it could be considered as a feature of the whole organism affected by cancer. On the basis of these first results, uPA could be considered for further studies as a possible useful therapeutic target in breast cancer.