title: Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in oral squamous cell carcinomas with regard to the metastatic potential.
abstract: In order to evaluate the significance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in predicting the metastatic potential of oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), we compared MMP-2 and -9 expression in 19 metastasizing oral SCCs with that in 25 non-metastasizing cases by immunohistochemistry and gelatin zymography. Immunohistochemistry showed that increased MMP-2 expression was not significantly related to metastasis; increased MMP-9 expression found in oral SCCs was, however, statistically significant (oral SCCs with metastasis, 73.7%; those without metastasis, 36.0%; P<0.05). Gelatin zymography revealed no significant difference in the activated form of MMP-2 between metastasizing and non-metastasizing oral SCCs. In metastasizing SCCs, on the other hand, increases in the activated form of MMP-9 were significant. These results suggest that oral SCCs express MMP-2 and -9, and that MMP-9 may play a more important role than MMP-2 in the metastasis of oral SCCs to adjacent tissue. An analysis of MMP-9 expression may be useful for predicting the metastatic potential of oral SCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, 28-2 Yeonkeun-dong, Chongro-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9