title: Expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in human gastric carcinoma.
abstract: The present report investigated the correlation between the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 in gastric carcinoma patients and the clinicopathological characteristics. Forty-five samples of gastric carcinoma and distal gastric mucosa tissue, and 10 samples of healthy gastric mucosa tissue were analyzed using semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, as well as immunohistochemical and hematoxylin and eosin staining. MMP-9 protein levels in serum samples from the same patients were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The present report identified that MMP-9 expression was markedly higher in the gastric carcinoma tissue (86.67%) than in the adjacent healthy tissue (10.00%). A positive association was identified between the level of MMP-9 protein expression and the depth of cancer invasion (P<0.05). Furthermore, the preoperative serum levels of the MMP-9 protein in the gastric carcinoma tissue were correlated with the tumor-node-metastasis stage and occurrence of lymph node metastasis (P<0.01). Data from the present report indicates that MMP-9 may be key in gastric carcinoma malignancy, and implies that MMP-9 may serve as a novel biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of gastric carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Su-Zuan
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huai-Qi
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Sen-Zhi
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Yuan
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guang-Hua
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: gastric carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; malignancy; matrix metalloproteinases-9; semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction