Immunoenzymatic Assay of Mr 52,000 Cathepsin D in 182 Breast Cancer Cytosols: .... node (N)-metastasis (M) classification of breast cancer (13). The num.
[CANCER RESEARCH 48, 462^*66, January 15, 1988]
Immunoenzymatic Assay of Mr 52,000 Cathepsin D in 182 Breast Cancer Cytosols: Low Correlation with Other Prognostic Parameters1 Thierry Maudelonde, Siham Khalaf, Marcel Garcia, Gilles Freiss, Jacques Duporte, Marc Benatia, HervéRegier, Francis Paolucci, JoëlleSimony, Henri Pujol, Bernard Pau, and Henri Rochefort2 1NSERM V 148, Unitéd'Endocrinologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire,60 Rue de Navacetles, 34100 Montpellier [T. M., M. G., G. F., J. D., Hen. R.J; Laboratoire de Biochimie Cellulaire et Hormonale, Maternité,13 Avenue du Professeur Grasset, 34060 Montpellier [T. M., S. K., M. B., Hen. R.]; Centre Val d 'Aurelle Paul I.amurque, 34094 Montpellier [J. S., H. P.]; and Sanofi-Recherche, Laboratoire Immuno Diagnostic, Rue du Professeur Joseph Blayac, 34082 Montpellier [Hen. R., F. P., B. P.], France
ABSTRACT The M, 52,000 cathepsin-D-like protease induced by estrogens in MCF7 human breast cells was assayed in 182 primary breast cancer cytosols prepared for receptor assays from pre- and post-menopausal patients. Using two solid-phase sandwich immunoenzymatic assays, we quantified the total M, 52,000 cathepsin D (52K-cath-D) (the M, 52,000 precursor protein and its M, 48,000 and 34,000 processed forms) and the M, 52,000 precursor alone. The value of total 52K-cath-D varied between 3 and 165 pmol/mg protein and the proportion of the precursor varied from 0 to 28% of total 52K-cath-D. There was no correlation between the concentrations of 52K-cath-D and estrogen receptor, but the estrogen receptor status (> or or
