Neutrophil enzyme found to weaken barrier in early breast cancer, aiding spread prediction
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Researchers at McGill University have identified a mechanism by which some ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions progress to invasive breast cancer. Reporting in Cell Reports Medicine, the team showed that neutrophil elastase, an enzyme released by neutrophils, degrades the myoepithelial barrier that normally contains DCIS within the milk ducts. The work was validated across mouse models, human breast tissue samples and 3D tumor models, and experiments showed that blocking neutrophils or the enzyme preserved the barrier. The findings point to neutrophil elastase as a potential biomarker for assessing which DCIS patients face higher risk of progression to invasive disease. Translating this into a clinical test for risk stratification, and validating it in patients, remains an open step.
Written by a model from the reports · updated 4 hours ago
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- Medical XpressPickImmune mechanism discovery could help predict which early breast cancers will spread
A McGill University team reports in Cell Reports Medicine that neutrophil elastase released by neutrophils weakens the myoepithelial barrier surrounding ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), allowing some lesions to progress to invasive cancer. The findings were validated in mouse models, human breast tissue samples and 3D tumor models. Blocking neutrophils or the enzyme kept the barrier intact, suggesting neutrophil elastase could serve as a biomarker for predicting DCIS progression risk.
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