Expression of the serine protease matriptase and its inhibitor HAI-1 in epithelial ovarian cancer: correlation with clinical outcome and tumor clinicopathological parameters.

Abstract

Advanced-stage ovarian tumors that express matriptase are more likely to do so in the absence of its inhibitor, HAI-1, indicating that an imbalance in the matriptase:HAI-1 ratio could be important in the development of advanced disease. Such an imbalance could promote the proteolytic activity of matriptase and, consequently, a more invasive phenotype.