title: The role of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 during rat tongue carcinogenesis induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.
abstract: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes, including morphogenesis, wound healing, angiogenesis, inflammation, and cancer. The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of MMPs as depicted by the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 during 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced rat tongue carcinogenesis. Male Wistar rats were distributed into three groups of 10 animals each and treated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide solution at 50 ppm through their drinking water for 4, 12, and 20 weeks. Ten animals were used as control group. No histopathological abnormalities were induced in the epithelium after 4 weeks of carcinogen exposure; however, immunoexpression of MMP-2 was noticed. The same picture occurred to MMP-9, in which positive expression was detected for this immunomarker. MMP-2 and MMP-9 showed positive expression either in pre-neoplastic lesions at 12 weeks following carcinogen exposure or in well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma induced after 20 weeks of treatment with 4NQO. Taken together, our results support the belief that MMP-2 and MMP-9 play important role during malignant transformation and conversion of oral mucosa as assessed by immunohistochemistry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Federal University of Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Cuzzuol
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fracalossi
authors.forename: Sandra Regina
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Celina Tijuko Fujiyama
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Daniel Araki
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D015112:4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide; D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D007120:Immunochemistry; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015112:4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9