title: MMP-21 is upregulated at early stages of melanoma progression but disappears with more aggressive phenotype.
abstract: The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is frequently altered during malignant transformation. We examined the profile of three recently cloned MMPs, MMP-21, MMP-26, and MMP-28, in melanomas in vivo and in culture. Immunohistochemistry for MMPs-21, -26, -28, and -13 in melanoma specimens (27 nonmetastatic, 26 with nodal micrometastases, and 10 in situ melanomas) from 63 patients was performed. MMP-21 was expressed in melanoma cells in 29/53 cases, being more frequent in melanoma samples without micrometastases. Six out of ten in situ melanomas were positive, while five nevus samples were negative. MMP-26 and -28 were not generally expressed in melanoma cells. MMP-13 was detected in melanoma cells in 36/53 samples. MMP-21 was not found in sentinel nodes with metastases, while MMP-13 was seen in all of them. MMP-21 messenger RNA was variably expressed in all five melanoma cell lines investigated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Our results suggest that expression of MMP-21 may serve as a marker of malignant transformation of melanocytes and does not associate with the presence of micrometastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Biomedicum Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuivanen
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahokas
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Virolainen
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jahkola
authors.forename: Erkki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hölttä
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Saksela
authors.forename: Ulpu
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Saarialho-Kere
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C471969:MMP21 protein, human; C410599:MMP26 protein, human; C424663:MMP28 protein, human; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted