title: Increased plasma MMP-2 protein expression in lymph node-positive patients with colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Degradation of the extracellular matrix plays an important part during the invasion of cancer cells into the surrounding tissue. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have a central role in this process as demonstrated in different malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of several MMPs from tumour, adjacent tumour-free colon segment and from plasma, in order to evaluate how these factors might be used as predictors in colorectal malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two patients who underwent surgery because of a colorectal carcinoma were included. Biopsies from the tumour, macroscopically tumour-free bowel and plasma samples were analysed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests (ELISAs) quantifying protein expression of several MMPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found highly elevated concentrations of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3 and MMP-9 protein expression in tumour tissue compared with tumour-free tissue (p<0.0001). Elevated MMP-1 tumour levels were found in patients with Dukes' C cancers (p=0.02). Lymph node status correlated with the expression of MMP-2 in plasma, which was significantly increased in patients with lymph node metastasis compared with those without (p=0.002). MMP-2 in plasma was higher in T3 and T2 tumours than in T4 tumours (p=0.0083).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MMPs we investigated were strongly elevated in tumour tissue compared with tumour-free bowel wall. Our results indicate that MMP-2 in plasma may possibly be used as a predictor in colorectal malignancy. The use of MMP-2 as a predicting tool in combination with different imaging techniques may give important preoperative information in patients with colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Colorectal Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Göteborg University, 416 85, Gothenburg, Sweden. marcus@langenskiold.se
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langenskiöld
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Holmdahl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ivarsson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2