Background & objective: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) might plays an important role in regulating processes of tumor angiogenesis, invasion,and metastasis. The expression and clinical significance of MMP-9 in early invasive carcinoma of cervix was investigated.
Methods: Expression of MMP-9, microvessel density (MVD) labeled by CD(34) and proliferation index of cancer cells labeled by Ki-67 in 75 cases of early invasive carcinoma of cervix (ICC), 18 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN), and 15 cases of normal cervical epithelium (NCE) were detected by immunohistochemistry SP method.
Results: MMP-9 was mainly expressed in the cellular membrane and/or cytoplasm in tumor cells,whereas expression of Ki-67 was mainly confined to the nuclei, and that of CD(34), to the vascular epithelial cells in tumor stroma. It was shown that positive rate of expression of MMP-9,Ki-67, and MVD increased remarkably from NCE to CIN,and then to ICC accordingly(P< 0.05). In ICC, MVD was positively related to the expression of MMP-9 (r=0.287, P<0.05). The expression of MMP-9 correlated with pelvic lymph node metastasis, intravascular and stromal infiltration, FIGO staging, histological grading,and Ki-67 expression (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01); but not correlated with patients age and histological types (P >0.05). In cases with pelvic lymph node metastasis, intravascular and deeper stroma infiltration, FIGO staging II, histological grade III and over-expression of Ki-67, positive rate of expression of MMP-9 was significantly higher than that in those without the conditions mentioned above (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: In cervical carcinoma, MMP-9 may play an important role during tumor angiogenesis, proliferation of cancer cells, cancer invasion and metastasis. Over-expression of MMP-9 may result in great increase of tumor angiogenesis, rapid proliferation of cancer cells, cancer invasion and metastasis, but it is not the only decisive factor. Detection expression of MMP-9 may be of value in further understanding the biological behavior and predicting the prognosis of cervical carcinoma.