Role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and MMP-9 in soft tissue sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
We investigated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), and determined whether these could be useful as prognostic factors.


METHODS
Among patients treated from 1993 to 2007, 30 cases of MFH were evaluated. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 using paraffin wax-embedded blocks of MFH tissues. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot and zymography were performed using fresh tissues obtained from 17 of the 30 cases. The levels of MMP and TIMP expression were compared between the MFH and normal control groups, and between non-metastatic and metastatic MFH groups.


RESULTS
Expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were higher in the MFH group than the control group by RT-PCR, Western blotting, and zymography. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein expression was higher in the metastatic than in the non-metastatic group. The expression levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-1 were significantly higher in the metastatic than in the non-metastatic group (p < 0.05) by RT-PCR. By Western blot analysis, the expression levels of MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were higher in the metastatic group (p < 0.05), but MMP-9 showed only a slight increase in the metastatic group compared with the non-metastatic group (p > 0.05). Finally, gelatin zymography analysis showed that the expression levels of the pro- and active forms of MMP-2 were significantly higher in the metastatic group (p < 0.05), but the expression of the pro- and active forms of MMP-9 showed a slight decrease in the metastatic group (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 may have important roles in the development and progression of MFH, and that the degree of expression of these metalloproteinases and their inhibitors, especially MMP-2, could be useful as prognostic factors related to metastasis in MFH.
['Yang|Hyun Kee|HK|', 'Jeong|Kwang Cheul|KC|', 'Kim|Yang Kyung|YK|', 'Jung|Sung Taek|ST|']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D005260:Female D051677:Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D008297:Male D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 D008875:Middle Aged D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis D011379:Prognosis D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2
Matrix metalloproteinases Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases Malignant fibrous histiocytoma