Detection of serum MMPs in tumor-bearing hamsters.
OBJECTIVE
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated as playing an important role in cancer invasion and metastasis. MMPs have been identified in various malignancies, including pancreatic duct adenocarcinomas.


METHODS
We investigated the circulating level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in sera from Syrian golden hamsters into which hamster pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma tissues had been transplanted subcutaneously (HPDt hamsters). Northern blot analysis and gelatin zymographic analysis were performed to detect the expression of MMPs and that of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in HPDt hamsters.


RESULTS
Northern analysis revealed overexpression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 mRNAs in subcutaneous tumors of HPDt hamsters as compared with normal pancreatic tissue. Sera from HPDt hamsters possessed significantly higher levels of serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 than control sera, as determined by gelatin zymographic analysis, and there was a significant correlation between tumor growth and serum MMP levels.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that overexpression of MMP mRNAs is involved in the progression of pancreatic duct adenocarcinomas, and that MMP protein expression in hamster sera is associated with the presence of pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma cells. The findings also suggest that serum MMPs could be useful markers for monitoring patients with pancreatic duct adenocarcinomas.
Iki
Katsumichi
K
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushima, Kurashiki City, Okayama 701-0192, Japan.
Takeo
Tomoyuki
T
Kubozoe
Tadahiko
T
Aoki
Shinichi
S
Hayashi
Jiro
J
Tsunoda
Tsukasa
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D006224:Cricetinae; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000097:blood*; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9