Korean J Med.  2007 May;72(5):491-500.

Clinical significance of the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases for gastric and colorectal cancer patients

• Yoon SJ
• Shim KN
• Cho YK
• Song HJ
• Jung SA
• Kim TH
• Yoo K

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs), are important factors related to invasion and metastasis in various human cancers. Different results have been reported about the correlation of the serum levels of MMPs and TIMPs and the cancer stages and prognoses in gastric and colorectal cancer patients. This study was designed to determine whether the serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 are correlated with the pathologic findings and cancer stages.
METHODS
This retrospective study included 46 gastric cancer patients, 30 colonic adenoma patients and 46 colorectal cancer patients. The serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were analyzed using an ELISA technique. The pathologic findings of the endoscopic biopsies and the operative specimens, and the clinicopathologic staging were analyzed.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in the serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 according to the pathologic findings and the stages of the gastric and colorectal cancers. However the serum TIMP-1 levels were significantly higher in the advanced gastric cancer patients than in the control group and the early gastric cancer patients. The serum TIMP-2 levels were higher in the control group than in the tubular adenoma patients, the tubulovillous adenoma patients and the colorectal cancer patients.
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that serum levels of TIMP-1 may be a good marker of invasive gastric cancer. The multistep process of colonic tumorigenesis may be modulated by TIMP-2.

Keyword

Matrix metalloproteinases; Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases; Stomach neoplasms; Colorectal neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Adenoma
Biopsy
Carcinogenesis
Colon
Colorectal Neoplasms*
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Humans
Matrix Metalloproteinases*
Metalloproteases*
Neoplasm Metastasis
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Stomach Neoplasms
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases
Matrix Metalloproteinases
Metalloproteases
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2
Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases