Expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2, -8, -13, -26, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 in human osteosarcoma

Abstract

Osteosarcoma (OS) is among most common malignant tumour of bone. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are predominantly associated with poor prognosis of several cancers, although some of them, like MMP-8, seem to have a protective role in some cancers. We analyzed the distribution patterns of MMP-2, -8, -13, -26, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in 25 OS patients. MMP-2, -8, -13, -26 and TIMP-1 were mostly detected in sarcoma cells. Response to chemotherapy affected the amount of MMP-2, -8, and -13 in resection sections when compared to biopsies: patients with excellent or good response had less positivity to MMP-2 in chemotherapy samples than those with moderate or poor response. We conclude that MMP-2, -8, -13, -26, and TIMP-1 are expressed in OS tissue, and all, except protective MMP-8, were also found in metastases indicating that MMPs and TIMP-1 can participate in the OS progression.