[The effects of MMPs and TIMPs on the metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma to neck lymph nodes].
OBJECTIVE
This study is aim at investigating the relationship between the expression and activity of MMP-2,9, TIMP-1,2 and the metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma to neck lymph node.


METHODS
The expression of MMP-2,9, TIMP-1,2 in 30 oral squamous cell carcinoma, two oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines GNM and TSCCa was detected by in situ hybridization; Zomography was performed to determined the activity of MMP-2,9 in cancer tissue and conditioned medium of GNM and TSCCa; Ability of invasion of GNM and TSCCa was measured with in vitro invasion assays.


RESULTS
Both tumor cells and stroma expressed both MMP-2,9 and TIMP-1,2; It was found that MMP-2,9, TIMP-1,2 had a higher expression in patients with neck lymph node metastasis than those without metastasis (P < 0.05), positive percentage of MMP-2,9 in GNM was higher than that in TSCCa; The MMP-2,9 in node-positive patients was more active than in node-negative ones (P < 0.05); GNM had more active MMP-2, 9 and higher invasive potential than TSCCa.


CONCLUSIONS
MMP-2,9 may play an important role in metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma; Elevation of TIMP-1,2 is likely to be the result of interaction of tumor and stroma.
Liu
G
G
College of Stomatology, Wuhan University.
Li
J
J
Li
Z
Z
Chen
X
X
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D009333:Neck; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases