title: Overexpression of MT3-MMP in hepatocellular carcinoma correlates with capsular invasion.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Motoi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Nobuaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiraoka
authors.forename: Yurika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Bazarragchaa
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Damdinsuren
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marubashi
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dono
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Umeshita
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamori
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakasa
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakon
authors.forename: Morito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monden
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D053513:Matrix Metalloproteinase 16