title: Increased MMP-21 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is associated with progression and prognosis.
abstract: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy, requiring effective biomarkers for prognosis and therapeutic responsiveness. In this retrospective study of banked pathology material, we investigated the protein expression of MMP-21 in ESCC and its association with clinical significance. MMP-21 protein expression was investigated in 311 cases of ESCC by immunohistochemistry assay. Statistical analysis was utilized to evaluate the association of MMP-21 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival of patients with ESCC. Results showed that MMP-21 expression was significantly increased in ESCC (P < 0.001). It was also found that MMP-21 expression in ESCC was associated with tumor invasion (P < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001), distant metastasis (P < 0.001) and TNM stage (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed MMP-21 expression was associated with overall survival of patients with ESCC for patients with tumors of positive MMP-21 staining tend to have worse overall survival (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis proved that MMP-21 was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival for patients with ESCC (P < 0.001). These results suggested the potential role of MMP-21 in tumor progression and prognosis predication of human ESCC. It might also be a novel molecular target for therapeutic intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Zhengwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Shisen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yongan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C471969:MMP21 protein, human; D053505:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Secreted