Expression of cysteine peptidase cathepsin L and its inhibitors stefins A and B in relation to tumorigenicity of breast cancer cell lines

Cancer Lett. 2002 Dec 10;187(1-2):185-90. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3835(02)00452-4.

Abstract

The in vitro invasiveness of human breast cancer cell lines was compared with their reported tumorigenicity in vivo, increasing from MCF7, MDA-MB468, MDA-MB231 to MDA-MB435 cells. The invasiveness roughly corresponded to the tumorigenicity of the cell lines. The levels of cathepsin L mRNA and protein correlated with the invasiveness of the cells. Stefin A protein decreased with the invasiveness and the reported tumorigenicity, whereas stefin B protein was significantly lower in all MDA-MB lines compared with the least invasive and tumorigenic MCF7 line. Our results suggest that the imbalance between cathepsin L and the stefins contributes to the development of a malignant cell phenotype.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cathepsin L
  • Cathepsins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cathepsins / genetics
  • Cathepsins / metabolism*
  • Collagen / chemistry
  • Cystatin A
  • Cystatin B
  • Cystatins / genetics
  • Cystatins / metabolism*
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / genetics
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Combinations
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Laminin / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Proteoglycans / chemistry
  • RNA, Neoplasm / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / metabolism*

Substances

  • CSTB protein, human
  • Cystatin A
  • Cystatins
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Drug Combinations
  • Laminin
  • Proteoglycans
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • matrigel
  • CSTA protein, human
  • Cystatin B
  • Collagen
  • Cathepsins
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • CTSL protein, human
  • Cathepsin L