Clinical implications of the influence of Ehm2 on the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells through regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

Ehm2, a member of NF2/ERM/4.1 superfamily, has been indicated in disease progression and metastasis of prostate cancer. However, its function and implication in malignancies remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to examine the role of Ehm2 in breast cancer. We first constructed a hammerhead ribozyme transgene to knock down Ehm2 expression in breast cancer cells. The effect on growth, cell matrix adhesion, motility, and invasion following knockdown of Ehm2 was then investigated using in vitro models. Reduction of Ehm2 had inhibitory effects on in vitro growth and invasion of breast cancer cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that knockdown of Ehm2 induced apoptosis. Knockdown of Ehm2 also significantly decreased matrix metalloproteinase 9 mRNA and protein levels, as well as the corresponding enzymatic activity, and consequently led to a reduction of the invasion. The expression pattern of Ehm2 in a cohort of breast specimens (normal, n = 33; cancer, n = 127) was analyzed using both quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining. Increased expression of Ehm2 in breast cancer was seen at both mRNA and protein levels. Higher levels of Ehm2 transcripts were correlated with disease progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Disease-free survival of the patients with lower levels of Ehm2 was 135.8 (95% confidence interval, 125.1-146.5) months, significantly longer compared with 102.5 (95% confidence interval, 78.7-126.4) months of patients with higher levels of Ehm2 expression (P = 0.039). Taken together, increased Ehm2 expression correlates with poor prognosis and metastasis. Ehm2 may promote the invasive ability of breast cancer cells via regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9.