[The relationship of MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA expressions and their clinical significance in gastric adenocarcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate abnormal protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in human gastric adenocarcinoma, and further reveal the clinical significance.


METHODS
The MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA proteins expression was determined by immunohistochemistry staining in 45 gastric adenocarcinoma tissues, 45 adjacent specimens and 10 normal gastric mucosa tissues via tissue arrays accordingly. The relationship of these protein expression with differentiation degree, development and progression of gastric adenocarcinoma were also analyzed.


RESULTS
Positive rates of MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA in gastric adenocarcinoma, adjacent specimens and gastric normal mucosa were as follows: MMP-9, 82.2% (37/45), 64.4% (29/45), 30.0% (3/10) (P = 0.019); VEGF, 73.3% (33/45), 62.2% (28/45), 30.0% (3/10) (P = 0.029); PCNA, 84.4% (38/45), 71.1% (32/45), 10.0% (1/10), there were statistically significant difference (P = 0.001). The positive rates of MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA in well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma were as follows: MMP-9, 70.0% (7/10), 80.0% (8/10), 88.0% (22/25), there were statistically significant difference (P = 0.015); VEGF, 50.0% (5/10), 60.0% (6/10), 88.0% (22/25), there were statistically significant difference (P = 0.000); PCNA, 60.0% (6/10), 90.0% (9/10), 92.0% (23/25), the difference is significant statistically (P = 0.004). The expression of MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA showed positive relationship with each other by rank correlation analysis (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Tissue arrays technology is effective tool to analyze the expression of cancer related proteins in gastric adenocarcinoma. The expression of MMP-9, VEGF and PCNA proteins participates in the tumorigenesis and development process of gastric adenocarcinoma, and these can be used as indexes to evaluate prognosis in clinical.
Zhao
Feng-Juan
FJ
Department of Scientific Research, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
Kang
Chun-Sheng
CS
Cui
Xiao-Wei
XW
Song
Xiao-Mei
XM
Liu
Jian
J
Zhang
Qing-Yu
QY
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9