Significance of the tumor protease cathepsin D for the biology of breast cancer

• Autores: Darius Dian, Sabine Heublein, Irmi Wiest, Lisa Barthell, Klaus Friese, Udo Jeschke
• Localización: Histology and histopathology: cellular and molecular biology, ISSN-e 1699-5848, ISSN 0213-3911, Vol. 29, Nº. 4, 2014, págs. 433-438
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Cathepsin D is a protease involved in the metastasis and angiogenesis of mammary carcinomas. This review analyzes the significance of the tumor protease cathepsin D in mammary carcinomas as a tumor marker. We present a systematic overview based on a selective Medline search. Cathepsin D is expressed in mammary carcinomas and exhibits higher expression in invasive ductal carcinomas compared with lobular carcinomas. Nodal positive carcinomas showed reduced cathepsin D expression compared to lymph node metastases, and increased expression has been observed in hormone-receptor negative tumors. Thus, the expression of cathepsin varies between the two histological types. Increased cathepsin D expression in acinar affection has also been described. The lack of an association of cathepsin D with known prognostic factors such as CA15-3, ERalpha and ERbeta does not prevent it from being used as a tumor marker. Cathepsin has already been used along with other genes as a prognostic parameter for carcinoma patients in gene arrays.