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Clinicopathological significance of metallothioneins in breast cancer

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of metal binding proteins that play an important role in maintaining transition metal ion homoeostasis, redox balance in the cell and fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation and apoptosis. In humans, there are 4 groups of MT proteins which are encoded by 10 functional MT isoforms. In breast tissues, MT is primarily expressed in myoepithelial and malignant epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical studies have revealed that 26% to 100% of invasive ductal breast cancers express the MT protein. The MT-1F and MT-2A isoforms have been reported to be associated with higher histological grade in breast cancer, whereas higher MT-1E mRNA expression was found in estrogen receptor-negative tumors compared to their estrogen receptor-positive counterparts. A number of studies have shown that MT expression in breast cancer is associated with poorer prognosis. In addition, metallothionein expression may have a potential role in protecting the breast cancer cell from chemotherapeutic threats to survival.(Pathology Oncology Research Vol 10, No 2, 74–79)

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  1. Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, 4 Medica Drive, Block MD10, S117 597, Singapore

    Rongxian Jin, Jingxiang Huang & Boon-Huat Bay MBBS, PhD

  2. Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore

    Puay-Hoon Tan

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  1. Rongxian Jin
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Jin, R., Huang, J., Tan, PH. et al. Clinicopathological significance of metallothioneins in breast cancer. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 10, 74–79 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02893459

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