These data suggest that serum FST levels not only can be used in auxiliary diagnosis for lung cancer but also might be associated with the disease progression and metastasis of lung cancers.
Examination of multiple breast cancer datasets revealed that FST expression is reduced in breast cancers compared with normal tissue and that low FST expression predicts increased metastasis and reduced overall survival.
FST plays a role in tumourigenesis, metastasis and angiogenesis of solid tumours through its interaction with activin and BMPs, thus resulting in pathophysiological function.
Importantly, matrix metalloprotease 7, which is a classical mediator of metastasis and E-cadherin cleavage, was also restricted as a result of ERRβ-mediated FST overexpression.
Immunohistochemical analyses of the liver metastases revealed that the number of proliferating tumor cells and the tumor-associated microvessel density were significantly less in the lesions produced by FST transfectants.