Expression of membrane type-1 matrix metalioproteinase in invasive hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate effect and expression of membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase ( MT1 -MMP,MMP-14) in invasive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods We selected 123 patients with HCC randomly from January 2004 to December 2006 which underwent radical hepatectomy,they were divided into the invasion group (n =74) and the non invasion group (n =49) by the standards including tumor size,number,complete capsule,portal vein thrombosis and extrahepatic metastasis.The serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured with the quantitative sandwich enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) three days before operation.With three-step immunohistochemical technique ( ABC),to determine protein expression of MT1-MMP and microvessel density (MVD) in postoperative tissue samples in the two groups,and mRNA expression of MT1-MMP was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Results The preoperative serum VEGF in the invasion group (133.89 ± 68.56 ) μg/L was significantly elevated as compared to that in non invasion group ( 100.64 ± 81.37 ) μg/L ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Tissue location of MT1 -MMP was mainly at membrane and in cytoplasm of HCC cells.In invasive HCC,mRNA and protein expression of MT1-MMP were significantly increased compared to that in no invasive HCC (P ＜ 0.05 ),and MVD expression increased accordingly (P＜0.01).Conclusion In invasive HCC,expression of MT1-MMP was significantly increased,and companied with increased secretion of VEGF,also the formation of tumor angiogenesis in HCC increased.High expression of MT1-MMP in postoperative tissue samples could be used as a valuable predictor for invasive HCC,and it prompted poor clinical prognosis. Key words: Membrane-type matrix metalloprotenise-1 ; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Microvessel density; Invasion; Prognosis