[The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and angiogenesis in relation to the depth of tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis in submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Lymph node (LN) metastasis occurs in approximately 10% of patients with submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma. This study was performed to determine the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) production and microvessel formation on the LN metastasis in submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma.


METHODS
A total of forty-one subjects with surgically resected submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma were included in this study. Immunohistochemical staining of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator were performed. Angiogenesis was evaluated by counting the number of microvessels in each pathologic specimen as identified by CD34 immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
The depth of submucosal invasion was not significantly correlated with the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, or urokinase-type plasminogen activator, but the microvessel count was significantly correlated with the absolute depth of invasion (r=0.312, p<0.05). Upregulation of TIMP-2 was positively correlated with adjacent lymphatic invasion (p<0.05) and increased TIMP-2 expression was correlated with LN metastasis in submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma (p=0.088).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the expression of TIMP-2 and the microvessel count may be useful parameters for considering additional surgery after endoscopic treatment of submucosally invasive colorectal carcinoma.
Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Institute, Korea.
Sung-Ae
SA
Jung
Suk-Kyun
SK
Yang
Jeong Sun
JS
Kim
Ki-Nam
KN
Shim
Seock-Ah
SA
Im
Seung-Jae
SJ
Myung
Hwoon-Yong
HY
Jung
Chang-Sik
CS
Yu
Jin Cheon
JC
Kim
Weon-Seon
WS
Hong
Jin-Ho
JH
Kim
Young Il
YI
Min
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*
D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases