The Matrix Metalloproteinase-9/Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Complex Plays a Role in Breast Tumor Growth and Is Present in the Urine of Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

These findings suggest, for the first time, that NGAL may play an important role in breast cancer in vivo by protecting MMP-9 from degradation thereby enhancing its enzymatic activity and facilitating angiogenesis and tumor growth. Clinically, these data suggest that the urinary detection of MMP-9/NGAL may be useful in noninvasively predicting disease status of breast cancer patients.