Clinicopathological significance of human macrophage metalloelastase expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Human macrophage metalloelastase is referred to as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-12), its function in tumors is contradictory. The current study was undertaken to investigate the role of MMP-12 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).


METHODS
We analyzed the levels of MMP-12 mRNA expression in 67 patients with primary esophageal SCC by Northern blot analysis and the tissues were subjected to in situ hybridization analysis for MMP-12. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the macrophages infiltrated in esophageal SCCs.


RESULTS
MMP-12 mRNA was detected in 27 of 67 esophageal SCC samples by Northern blot analysis. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining revealed that MMP-12 mRNA signals are located mainly in tumor cells. The frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the MMP-12-positive (MMP-12(+)) subgroup than MMP-12-negative (MMP-12(-)) subgroup (p < 0.05); furthermore, invasion was significantly deeper in the MMP- 12(+) subgroup than in the MMP-12(-) subgroup (p < 0.01). MMP-12 mRNA was inversely correlated with prognosis (p < 0.05). However, Cox multivariate analysis revealed that upregulation of MMP-12 was not related to prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
MMP-12 gene expression was associated with the progression of esophageal SCC; however, it was not an independent prognostic factor.
Ding
Yongzeng
Y
Department of Surgery and Surgical Basic Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Shimada
Yutaka
Y
Gorrin-Rivas
Manuel J
MJ
Itami
Atsushi
A
Li
Zhigang
Z
Hong
Tao
T
Maeda
Masato
M
Komoto
Izumi
I
Kawabe
Atsushi
A
Kaganoi
Junichi
J
Imamura
Masayuki
M
D000368:Aged; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C507122:MMP12 protein, human; D053508:Matrix Metalloproteinase 12