title: Stromelysin-2 overexpression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: potential clinical implications.
abstract: The degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a major step in the process of tumor invasion and metastasis, mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Knowledge of alterations in the expression of stromelysin-2 (ST-2) or MMP-10 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is meager. Immunohistochemical analysis of ST-2 expression was carried out in surgically resected ESCCs (50 cases) and paired distal histologically normal esophageal tissues (50 cases), correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Overexpression of ST-2 protein, in tumor cell cytoplasm and stromal elements, was observed in 37 of the 50 (74%) ESCCs localized in tumor cell cytoplasm and stromal elements. Low levels of ST-2 were observed in 8 of the 50 (16%) matched histologically normal esophageal tissues. Significant associations were observed between ST-2 overexpression and tumor size (r = 0.02, P = 0.04), local invasiveness of the tumor (r = -0.30, P = 0.002) and distant organ metastasis (r = -0.227, P = 0.02), suggestive of its involvement in development and progression of ESCCs. The data underscore the significance of ST-2 expression in context to the aggressive tumor characteristics observed in ESCCs in the Indian population, wherein extremely poor prognosis has been ascribed to extensive local invasion and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Rinu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Meera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.forename: Nootan K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Ranju
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ralhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D053506:Matrix Metalloproteinase 10; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D053506:Matrix Metalloproteinase 10