Matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression correlates with cavernous sinus invasion in pituitary adenomas.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and cavernous sinus invasion in pituitary adenoma.


METHODS
Tissue samples from 54 pituitary adenomas were examined for expression of MMP-2 protein by immunohistochemistry. In sixteen tumors, the expression of MMP-2 mRNA was also examined by RT-PCR. Immunostaining was semiquantatively scored based on intensity (0-3) and distribution (0-3).


RESULTS
There were 34 women and 20 men, with a mean age of 49.9 years (range 18-76). There were 12 tumors with cavernous sinus invasion, and 42 noninvasive cases. The MMP-2 score of pituitary adenomas with cavernous sinus invasion (3.9 +/- 0.5) was significantly higher than those without invasion (2.3 +/- 0.2; P < 0.01). There was no difference in MMP-2 score between macroadenomas (3.0 +/- 0.3) and microadenomas (2.1 +/- 0.4; P > 0.05), and also, no difference between the functioning adenomas (2.8 +/- 0.3) and non-functioning adenomas (2.8 +/- 0.3; P > 0.05). We found no correlation between the MMP-2 score and the Ki-67 labeling index (r2 = -0.05; P = 0.72). MMP-2 mRNA expression was also intense in invasive pituitary adenomas and was significantly higher in invasive pituitary adenomas than those without invasion (68.2 +/- 15.3; 21.8 +/- 8.2; P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that MMP-2 may be associated with aggressiveness and invasion in pituitary adenoma but is not related to tumor size or secretory function. MMP-2 may be a useful tool for assessing the invasive potential.
Liu
Weiping
W
Department of Neurological Surgery, Kagawa Medical University, Kawaga, Japan.
Kunishio
Katsuzo
K
Matsumoto
Yoshihito
Y
Okada
Masaki
M
Nagao
Seigo
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2