Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of MMP-7 (matrilysin) expression in human rectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
There is increasing evidence to indicate that MMP-7 plays a more important role in tumor progression than other MMPs. The aim of this study was to detect MMP-7 expression in human rectal cancer and normal rectal tissue and to determine whether it is correlated with invasion and metastasis of human rectal cancer.


METHODS
Eighty-six paired samples of rectal cancer and distant normal rectal tissue obtained from 100 inpatients were allocated into two groups (cancer group and control group). MMP-7 mRNA was detected by relative quantitative real-time RT-PCR and MMP-7 protein was examined by immunohistochemical staining and computerized image analysis.


RESULTS
MMP-7 mRNA expression in cancer group was higher than that in control group (P = 0.006), the expression ratios of 31 samples (37.35%) were <1 and 52 (62.65%) were >1. The mRNA expression level was correlated with Dukes Staging, histological differentiation grade and CEA level. The MMP-7 protein expression was in accordance with mRNA expression level. The positive degree of immunohistochemical staining in cancer group (1.82 +/- 0.03) was different from that in control group (1.17 +/- 0.13, P = 0.002). Moreover, in cancer group the positive staining degree in high-level mRNA cancers (2.04 +/- 0.18, n = 52) was higher than that in low-level mRNA ones (1.58 +/- 0.23, n = 31, P = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that MMP-7 plays an important role in the progression of human rectal cancer. MMP-7 may be selected as a clinical diagnosis and prognosis index in rectal cancer.
Luo
Hong-zhi
HZ
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
Zhou
Zong-guang
ZG
Yang
Lie
L
Yu
Yong-yang
YY
Tian
Cao
C
Zhou
Bing
B
Zheng
Xue-Lian
XL
Xia
Qing-jie
QJ
Li
Yuan
Y
Wang
Rong
R
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7