Expression and clinical significance of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-26 protein in non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-26 has been implicated in genesis, progression, invasion and metastasis of several types of human cancers. This study was to investigate the expression of MMP-26 protein in invasive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pre-invasive lung cancer and normal lung tissues, thus to explore the role of MMP-26 in the progression and prognosis of NSCLC.


METHODS
SP immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of MMP-26 protein in 72 specimens of NSCLC, 14 specimens of atypical hyperplasia and 10 specimens of normal lung tissues.


RESULTS
The high expression rate of MMP-26 was 0 (0/10) in normal lung tissues, 14.3% (2/14) in atypical hyperplasia and 59.7% (43/72) in NSCLC. The expression rate of MMP-26 protein was significantly higher in NSCLC than in atypical hyperplasia and normal lung tissues (p < 0.01); the expression was higher in atypical hyperplasia than in normal lung tissues, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The high expression rate of MMP-26 protein was significantly correlated to stage (p < 0.05) and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05), but not to age, gender, tumor size and differentiation (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that MMP-26 and stage were independent prognostic factors of NSCLC (p < 0.05). The disease-free survival and overall survival were shorter in NSCLC patients with high expression of MMP-26 than in those with low expression of MMP-26 (log-rank = 19.34 and 23.2, both p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
High expression of MMP-26 protein is correlated to carcinogenesis, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage and prognosis of NSCLC. Therefore, MMP-26 may be served as a tumor marker in monitoring progression and predicting prognosis of NSCLC.
Li
Lian
L
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China.
Mei
Tong-Hua
TH
Zhou
Xiang-Dong
XD
Zhang
Xin-Gao
XG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged
C410599:MMP26 protein, human; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9