Immunoexpression of matrix metalloproteinase–2 (MMP–2) in epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs)

Abstract

To evaluate the relation between matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression and the clinical and/or pathological parameters of the epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs). Forty-two (42) patients with EOCs diagnosed after histopathological examination of the specimens were included in this study. The pathological specimens were additionally stained by immunoperoxidase technique for MMP-2 using a monoclonal antibody against activated MMP 2. The staining intensity of MMP-2 was correlated with the clinical and pathological parameters of the studied cases, including patient's age, surgical stage, histological grade, omental, and lymph node metastasis. The studied cases of EOCs were classified according to the intensity or the degree of MMP-2 expression, as; seven cases (16.7%) negative, eighteen cases (42.8%) weak, seven cases (16.7%) moderate and ten cases (23.8%) intense for MMP-2 staining. There was a significant positive correlation between MMP-2 expression and the histological grades and the surgical stages of the studied EOC (r <1, P <0.05), while, there was no significant relation between MMP-2 expression and the histopathological types of the studied EOCs. MMP-2 expression was significantly high in EOCs with ascites, omental, distant and uterine metastasis, while, there was no significant relation between MMP-2 expressions and lymph node metastasis or bilaterality of the EOCs. MMP-2 expression was associated with advanced, aggressive EOCs and there was direct relation between expression of MMP-2 and degree of invasiveness and metastasis of EOCs.