Premium
Pro‐protein convertase gene expression in human breast cancer
Author(s) -
Cheng Min,
Watson Peter,
Paterson Jean,
Seidah Nabil,
Chrétien Michel,
Shiu Robert P.C.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19970611)71:6<966::aid-ijc10>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - breast cancer , gene expression , gene , cancer , cancer research , mammary gland , biology , c3 convertase , human breast , medicine , genetics , antibody , complement system , alternative complement pathway
As a first step towards elucidating the role that pro‐protein convertases play in the growth regulation of breast cancer, we studied the gene expression of 6 known human convertase members (PC1/PC3, PC2, furin/PACE, PACE4, PC5/PC6 and PC7/LPC) in human breast cancer tumors and cell lines. PC1, furin, PACE4 and PC7 mRNAs were detected by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) amplification in all 7 human breast cancer cell lines and 30 breast tumor tissues tested. PC5 expression was detected in 2/30 tumor tissues. PC2 mRNA, however, was not detected. In situ hybridization localized furin mRNA to the tumor cells; adjacent fibrous stroma and blood vessel elements were negative for furin gene expression. Thirty breast tumors with varying quantities of estrogen and progesterone receptors were assayed for furin, PACE4 and PC1 mRNAs by quantitative RT‐PCR, and 22 tumors were assayed for PC7 mRNA. An apparent association was observed only between PACE4 and estrogen receptors. No statistically significant correlation was found between the levels of steroid receptors and the expression of human furin, PC 1 and PC 7 genes. Convertase mRNA levels appeared similar in both the estrogen‐responsive and ‐unresponsive breast cancer cell lines. Also, pro‐protein convertase mRNAs were not detected in 9 histologically normal human breast tissues. These results suggest that elevated expression of some members of the pro‐protein convertase gene family is a characteristic of human breast cancer, an event which may be important for human breast tumorigenesis. Int. J. Cancer 71: 966‐971, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.