[The role of MMP-2 in the invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)].
OBJECTIVE
To get insights into the role of MMP-2 in the invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to find a method to judge the invasion and metastasis of HCC through MMP-2.


METHODS
Zymograph and immunohistochemistry were used to study the content and types of positive cells of MMP-2 in the HCC, and statistical methods were used to analyse the association between the content of MMP-2 and the pathological indexes of HCC.


RESULTS
MMP-2 was expressed by all the normal liver, HCC and surrounding liver parenchyma. The increase of MMP-2 and the presence of the active type of MMP-2 were related to the invasion and metastasis of HCC. The content of MMP-2 in HCC being higher than that in surrounding liver parenchyma was an important index to judge the invasion and metastasis of the HCC. The positive cells of MMP-2 found in immunohistochemistry were normal hepatocytes, cholangioepithelial cells, Ito cells, regenerated hepatocytes, new generated cholangioepithelial cells, and HCC cells.


CONCLUSIONS
MMP-2 was related to the invasion and me astasis of HCC. The content of MMP-2 in HCC being higher than that in surrounding liver parenchyma could be bused as an important index to judge the invasion and metastasis of HCC.
Bu
W
W
Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University.
Huang
X
X
Tang
Z
Z
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000556:secondary*; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000502:physiology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
D018093:Gelatinases; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2