Review article
https://doi.org/10.20471/LO.2022.50.02-03.16
The role of metallothionein in breast cancer
Sara Bilić-Knežević
; Division of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Zadar General Hospital, Zadar, Croatia
Mirisa Tokić
; Division of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Zadar General Hospital, Zadar, Croatia
Tamara Gulić
; Department of Physiology and Immunology, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, Rijeka, Croatia
Manuela Avirović
; Department of General Pathology and Pathologic Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Rijeka, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Damir Grebić
orcid.org/0000-0003-3715-2254
; Department of General and Oncologic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Rijeka, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of small cysteine-rich proteins involved in many physiological and pathological processes. Genes that encode the four isoforms of metallothioneins (MT1-M4) are located on chromosome 16q13. Strucutures of these four isoforms allow metallothioneins their various biological functions. Many studies have shown that MT plays an important role in carcinogenesis, tumour growth, its progression from local to metastatic disease and may contribute to resistence to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Due to the fact that breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide it is important to better understand the biology of breast cancer. So, findings of MT could evenutally help as a prognostic tool and could lead to a possible new specific anti-cancer treatment.
Keywords
metallothionein; breast cancer; prognostic factor; treatment
Hrčak ID:
288531
URI
Publication date:
22.12.2022.
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