EXPRESSION OF MESSENGER-RNA FOR GELATINASE-A AND TIMP-2 IN CELL-CULTURES AND TISSUE SAMPLES DERIVED FROM BREAST AND LUNG CARCINOMAS

The aim of this study was to determine how closely expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 is associated with poor patient prognosis in breast and lu ng cancer. mRNA levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were examined on dot blots in 34 cases of human breast carcinoma and in 13 cases of lung carcinom a. In breast carcinomas we found that high MMP-2 and/or low TIMP-2 exp ression did not consistently correspond to a poor clinical situation, while high MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratios were also found in subjects whose clini cal status was relatively favorable. Statistical analysis did not show any significant association between MMP-2/TIMP-2 and the tumor marker s examined. Regarding lung carcinomas, we did not find a correlation b etween the ratio and poor prognosis, whereas in lung carcinoma cells i n vitro we found an enhancement in MMP-2 production. A possible explan ation for these results is that in vivo, as opposed to in vitro, it ap pears that the stromal cells of the tumor and not the tumor cell itsel f, produce MMP-2.