Aim: To investigate the relationship between tumor hypoxia in vivo, activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and metastatic potential of tumor.
Materials and methods: Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) was used in this study. Total activity of MMP-2 and -9 in tumor was measured biochemically, tumor hypoxia level was assessed by (31)P NMR spectroscopy in tissue perchloric extracts.
Results: It was determined that hypoxia level in primary tumor has been concomitantly increasing along with tumor growth and correlated with metastasis level in lung. The positive correlation between hypoxia level and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in primary tumor was registered. Moreover, the activity of MMP-2 and -9 in 3LL (primary tumor) directly correlates with metastasis level in lung.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the growth of primary tumor is distinctly accompanied by an increase of tumor hypoxia level which positively correlates both with the activity of MMP-2 and -9 in primary tumor and metastatic efficiency.