A comparative study of MMP-2 in vulvar neoplasms.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate differences in MMP-2 protein expression in VIN, vulvar invasive carcinoma, and lichen sclerosus, we performed an immunohistochemical study in which tissue samples from individuals affected by these conditions were compared with normal vulvar tissue.


METHODS
A total of 57 cases were selected, as follows: 14 cases of vulvar invasive carcinoma, 22 of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (6 of VIN I, 5 of VIN II, and 11 of VIN III), 9 of vulvar lichen sclerosus, and 12 samples of normal vulvar tissue. Immunohistochemistry was done with primary monoclonal antibodies against MMP-2 and quantification of the immunostaining was done by counting the number of antigen-positive stromal cells per 1000 stromal cells.


RESULTS
Normal vulvar tissue had a median score of 37.99 stromal cells positive for MMP-2. The median scores for VIN I/II and lichen sclerosus were 41.98 and 46.51, respectively, with no statistical differences when compared to the normal group. Invasive cancer had a score statistically higher (160.36) than any of the other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Invasive vulvar carcinoma had a score statistically higher of MMP-2 than normal tissue, VIN, and lichen sclerosus.
Bovo
Adriane Cristina
AC
Department of Gynecology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. adribera@uol.com.br
da Silva
Ismael Dale Cotrim Guerreiro
ID
Takita
Luiz Carlos
LC
Fochi
José
J
Stávale
João Norberto
JN
Marks
Guido
G
de Lima
Geraldo Rodrigues
GR
D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000201:enzymology; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012016:Reference Values; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D014844:Vulva / Q000201:enzymology; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000201:enzymology; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*
D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2