title: [Expression of MMP1 mRNA in oral squamous cell carcinoma and paired normal tissues].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the paired normal tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  The differential expression of MMP1 mRNA between 30 OSCC and paired normal tissues were detected with reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The relative expression level of MMP1 mRNA in the OSCC tissues showed a 3.26-fold increase in comparison with that in the paired normal tissues (4.06-/+0.52 vs 1.24-/+0.17, P<0.0001). In the 30 OSCC tissues, the relative expression level of MMP1 mRNA was higher in histological grade II/III tissues (4.31-/+0.68) than in grade I (3.87-/+0.57) tissues, higher in OSCC in advanced stages (III/IV) than in tumors in early stages (I/II) (4.18-/+0.67 vs 3.65-/+0.53), and also higher in OSCC with cervical lymph node invasion than in those without cervical lymph node invasion (4.32-/+0.71 vs 3.91-/+0.51), but these differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMP1 gene may play a role in local invasion of OSCC, and can serve as a potential biomarker molecule for diagnosis, treatment and prognostic evaluation of OSCC, with also clinical value for OSCC classification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. lxzsurgeon@126.com
authors.forename: Xiao-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.forename: Ya-guang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xue-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Wan-tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chen-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Zhang