Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2006 Jun;23(1):82-89.

Analysis of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma

• Kim JY
• Park TC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in the degradation of the extracellular matrix, which is an important step in tumor invasion and metastasis. A positive correlation between the expression of MMP-9 and aggressive behavior of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) has been reported. MMP-9 expression in RCCs and adjacent normal kidney tissues were examined in this study. MATERILAS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients pathologically diagnosed as clear cell RCCs, from specimens obtained at radical nephrectomy, between May 2003 and December 2004 were enrolled in this study. MMP-9 activity was estimated using gelatin zymography, and quantified using a laser densitometer. The results were compared with clinicopathological characteristics.
RESULTS
The expression of MMP-9 was significantly elevated in the RCC compared with non-tumor kidney specimens (p<0.01). The levels of MMP-9 expression in the RCC patients with large tumors (>4 cm) or vascular invasion were significantly higher than in those without these clinical manifestations (p<0.01). There were also significant differences in the expression of MMP-9 among T stages (p<0.01). The tissue MMP-9 level was the highest in nuclear grade 4, but there was no statistical significance between the histological grades (p=0.17).
CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that enhanced MMP-9 expression contributes to carcinogenesis and tumor progression in the later stages of RCC.

Keyword

Matrix metalloproteinases; Renal cell carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Carcinogenesis
Carcinoma, Renal Cell*
Extracellular Matrix
Gelatin
Humans
Kidney
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9*
Matrix Metalloproteinases
Neoplasm Metastasis
Nephrectomy
Gelatin
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
Matrix Metalloproteinases