Summary
Activation of blood coagulation, a phenomenon frequently observed in breast and colon
cancer patients, contributes to tumour progression. The principal initiator of blood
coagulation activation in cancer patients is tissue factor (TF), while tissue factor
pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is the main inhibitor of the TF-dependent pathway of blood
coagulation. Previous immunohistochemical studies revealed no expression of TFPI in
human cancer cells. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of TFPI protein
and mRNA in breast and colon cancer tissues. A total of 108 cancer tissues (from primary
tumours and metastatic lymph nodes) were obtained from 87 patients during surgical
treatment. Immunohistochemical studies using a polyclonal anti-TFPI antibody were
performed including a semiquantitative analysis. The in situ hybridisation method employed single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide (probe sequence:
5’Biotin-CCACCATACTTGAAACGTTCACACT-Biotin3’) directed against TFPI mRNA. Strong or
medium expression of TFPI protein was observed in cancer cell bodies in all breast
cancers and in most (39/66 cases) colon cancers examined. Weaker expression of TFPI
was detected in cancer cells localised in lymph node metastatic foci of breast cancer.
Endothelial cells were also TFPI-positive. TFPI mRNA was demonstrated in all cases
of breast and in approximately 80% cases of colon cancer cells. TFPI mRNA and protein
are present in association with colon and breast cancer cells, suggesting that the
protein may play a role in cancer biology. The presence of TFPI in association with
breast cancer cells localised in regional lymph nodes may indicate its role in lymphatic
spread.
Keywords
Breast cancer - coagulation inhibitor - colon cancer - TFPI - tissue factor pathway
inhibitor