title: Matrix metalloproteinase-7 expression in gastric carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) belongs to the same family as matrix degrading metalloproteinase (MMPs) that may play an important part in cancer cell invasion and metastasis. This study reports on the MMP-7 mRNA expression level both in human gastric carcinomas and the normal gastric mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  From fresh specimens of 47 surgical pairs of primary gastric carcinomas and corresponding normal tissue specimens, cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription (RT) and thereafter MMP-7 mRNAs were detected by means of a polymerase chain reaction. The tumour/normal (T/N) ratio of MMP-7 expression was calculated after correcting for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase as an internal control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression corrected levels of MMP-7 mRNA of the tumour was greater than that of the normal mucosa in 41 of 47 cases (87%). The 13 cases whose T/N ratio was more than 2.1 showed a deeper invasion of the gastric wall, and more frequent lymphatic or vascular permeations than the 34 cases whose T/N ratio was less than 2.0. An immunohistochemical study showed that MMP-7 was predominantly expressed in the cancer cells, weakly expressed in normal epithelial cells, and not expressed in the surrounding stromal cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the overexpression of MMP-7 may thus play an important part in tumour invasion in gastric carcinomas while, in addition, MMP-7 may also prove to be a useful marker for determining the biological aggressiveness of gastric carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University, Beppu, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiyoshi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7