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.
Highlights
Gastric carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies worldwide
hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) (Fig. 2) and immunohistochemical (Fig. 3) staining for Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9 was observed in the majority of gastric carcinoma tissues
Studies have identified a significant correlation between the expression of MMP‐2, ‐7 and ‐9, and the depth of tumor invasion, vessel invasion, lymph node and distant metastasis, TNM stage and microvessel density, indicating that these markers may be significant in cell migration in gastric carcinoma [13,14,15]
Summary
Gastric carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. the early diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer has improved in recent years, it remains one of the leading causes of cancer‐related mortality in countries, such as China and Japan [1]. Previous studies have validated that MMP‐9 degrades the principal components of the ECM, collagen types IV and V, and gelatin and, is closely associated with tumor cell invasion and metastasis [3,4,5]. It has been reported that MMP‐9 serum levels in the peripheral blood can be used for preoperative prognosis [6,7]. MMP‐9 is associated with the growth, invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma [9], there are few reports regarding preoperative serum levels of MMP‐9 in gastric carcinoma. The expression of MMP‐9 in gastric carcinoma samples was analyzed and the correlation between preoperative serum levels of the MMP‐9 protein and the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric carcinoma was investigated
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