Overexpression of MT3-MMP in hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with capsular invasion.
OBJECTIVE
Extracellular matrix-degrading matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are invariably up-regulated in epithelial cancers and are key agonists of angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have shown high levels of various MMPs, including MT1-MMP, MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9, and their involvement in tumor progression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the expression and role of MT3-MMP in HCC remains unclear.


METHODS
We examined the immunohistochemical expression of MT3-MMP in surgically resected HCCs (n=58), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic hepatitis (n=34) and cirrhosis (n=24).


RESULTS
MT3-MMP expression was observed in all non-cancerous liver tissues. In HCCs, 52% (30/58) of patients showed high MT3-MMP expression while the remaining 48% (28/58) of patients showed low expression. A clinicopathological survey demonstrated a significant correlation between high MT3-MMP expression and capsular invasion of carcinoma (p = 0.034) although there was no correlation between high MT3-MMP expression in HCC and overall survival or disease-free survival.


CONCLUSIONS
MT3-MMP was expressed not only in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, but also in HCC, and high MT3-MMP expression correlated significantly with capsular invasion of carcinoma.
Arai
Isao
I
Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Nagano
Hiroaki
H
Kondo
Motoi
M
Yamamoto
Hirofumi
H
Hiraoka
Nobuaki
N
Sugita
Yurika
Y
Ota
Hideo
H
Yoshioka
Shinichi
S
Nakamura
Masato
M
Wada
Hiroshi
H
Damdinsuren
Bazarragchaa
B
Kato
Hitoshi
H
Marubashi
Shigeru
S
Miyamoto
Atsushi
A
Takeda
Yutaka
Y
Dono
Keizo
K
Umeshita
Koji
K
Nakamori
Shoji
S
Wakasa
Kenichi
K
Sakon
Masato
M
Monden
Morito
M
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D053513:Matrix Metalloproteinase 16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness
D053513:Matrix Metalloproteinase 16