TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of metallothionein in oncogenesis and cancer prognosis
AU - Pedersen, Mie Ø
AU - Larsen, Agnete
AU - Stoltenberg, Meredin
AU - Penkowa, Milena
N1 - Keywords: Humans; Metallothionein; Neoplasms; Prognosis; Tumor Markers, Biological
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The antiapoptotic, antioxidant, proliferative, and angiogenic effects of metallothionein (MT)-I+II has resulted in increased focus on their role in oncogenesis, tumor progression, therapy response, and patient prognosis. Studies have reported increased expression of MT-I+II mRNA and protein in various human cancers; such as breast, kidney, lung, nasopharynx, ovary, prostate, salivary gland, testes, urinary bladder, cervical, endometrial, skin carcinoma, melanoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and pancreatic cancers, where MT-I+II expression is sometimes correlated to higher tumor grade/stage, chemotherapy/radiation resistance, and poor prognosis. However, MT-I+II are downregulated in other types of tumors (e.g. hepatocellular, gastric, colorectal, central nervous system (CNS), and thyroid cancers) where MT-I+II is either inversely correlated or unrelated to mortality. Large discrepancies exist between different tumor types, and no distinct and reliable association exists between MT-I+II expression in tumor tissues and prognosis and therapy resistance. Furthermore, a parallel has been drawn between MT-I+II expression as a potential marker for prognosis, and MT-I+II's role as oncogenic factors, without any direct evidence supporting such a parallel. This review aims at discussing the role of MT-I+II both as a prognostic marker for survival and therapy response, as well as for the hypothesized role of MT-I+II as causal oncogenes.
AB - The antiapoptotic, antioxidant, proliferative, and angiogenic effects of metallothionein (MT)-I+II has resulted in increased focus on their role in oncogenesis, tumor progression, therapy response, and patient prognosis. Studies have reported increased expression of MT-I+II mRNA and protein in various human cancers; such as breast, kidney, lung, nasopharynx, ovary, prostate, salivary gland, testes, urinary bladder, cervical, endometrial, skin carcinoma, melanoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and pancreatic cancers, where MT-I+II expression is sometimes correlated to higher tumor grade/stage, chemotherapy/radiation resistance, and poor prognosis. However, MT-I+II are downregulated in other types of tumors (e.g. hepatocellular, gastric, colorectal, central nervous system (CNS), and thyroid cancers) where MT-I+II is either inversely correlated or unrelated to mortality. Large discrepancies exist between different tumor types, and no distinct and reliable association exists between MT-I+II expression in tumor tissues and prognosis and therapy resistance. Furthermore, a parallel has been drawn between MT-I+II expression as a potential marker for prognosis, and MT-I+II's role as oncogenic factors, without any direct evidence supporting such a parallel. This review aims at discussing the role of MT-I+II both as a prognostic marker for survival and therapy response, as well as for the hypothesized role of MT-I+II as causal oncogenes.
U2 - 10.1016/j.proghi.2008.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.proghi.2008.10.001
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 19348910
SN - 0079-6336
VL - 44
SP - 29
EP - 64
JO - Progress in Histochemistry and Cytochemistry
JF - Progress in Histochemistry and Cytochemistry
IS - 1
ER -
