Expression of membrane type I-matrix metalloproteinase in oral squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Cancer letters Vol. 185; no. 2; pp. 201 - 209
• Main Authors: Myoung, Hoon, Kim, Myung-Jin, Hong, Seong-Doo, Lee, Jae-Il, Lim, Chang-Yun, Hong, Sam-Pyo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28.11.2002; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - enzymology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Cloning; Enzyme Induction; Enzymes; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Host-tumor relations. Immunology. Biological markers; Humans; Invasion; Lymph node metastasis; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinases, Membrane-Associated; Medical research; Medical sciences; Membrane type I-matrix metalloproteinase; Metalloendopeptidases - biosynthesis; Metalloendopeptidases - genetics; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - enzymology; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Tumors; Lymph node metastasis; Membrane type I-matrix metalloproteinase; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Invasion; Human; Squamous cell carcinoma; Prognosis; Enzyme; Biological marker; Metalloendopeptidases; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; Gene expression; Forecasting; Peptidases; Hydrolases; Evolution; Extracellular matrix; Metastatic; Aggravation; Interstitial collagenase
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(02)00281-1

A local invasion and lymph node metastasis (LNM) of an oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has a poor prognosis, and involves the degradation of the extracellular matrix mediated by multiple proteolytic enzymes including membrane type I-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP). This study aimed to determine the role of MT1-MMP in OSCC, to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of MT1-MMP with regard to the invasiveness and LNM of the OSCC, and to evaluate the major source of MT1-MMP mRNA and its protein using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. MT1-MMP expression was examined in 46 OSCCs via immunohistochemistry and non-radioisotope in situ hybridization. The relationship between MT1-MMP expression and LNM, as well as the histological invasiveness, was statistically analyzed. The results showed that whereas 12 out of the 18 OSCCs (66.7%) with LNM showed moderate to strong MT1-MMP expression, only nine of the 28 OSCCs (32.1%) without LNM expressed MT1-MMP strongly. MT1-MMP expression was significantly higher with regard to LNM ( P=0.022). As the invasion grade became stronger (from grade a to grade d), MT1-MMP was significantly more strongly expressed ( P=0.033). These results suggest that MT1-MMP is primarily secreted in the OSCC cells and is involved in the invasiveness of the OSCC and LNM. Moreover, MT1-MMP combined with other markers may be used to predict the metastatic potential of an OSCC.