| Human hepatocelluear carcinoma (HCC) is a very commonmalignancy in china. HCC has a wide spectrum of clinicopathologic features with varying prognosis. The morbidity and mortality rates in patients with HCC treated by surgery have been decreased. However, Long-term prognosis is not fully satisfactory because of the high rate of intrahepatic recurrence. A better understaning of the molecular mechanism in the progression of HCC would facilitates further prognosis and treatment strategies.The most significant biological and characteristic of malignant neoplasmas is thought to be their ability to metastasize to remote organs and to invade surrounding tissue.The mechanisms of cancer cells from the primary site, cell molity, cell to cell adherence, destruction of the basement membrane, invasion into the extracellulal matrix, growth in the target tissue,and so on. Some pathological factors, Such as the portal venous invasion and intrahepatic metastasis, have been proven to be related significantly to recurrence. In the process of tumor invasion and metastasis, degradation of extracellular matrix mediated by matrix-degrading enzyme is one of the most important steps. A large body of evidence indicates that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a crucial role in this process, and enhanced MMP activity has reported in various human malignant tumors,such as malignant breast disease, colon cancer, pancreatic carcinoma .However, there is little information on MMP activity and its role in HCCs.Two kinds of type IV collagenase in the matrix metalloproteinases family, matrix metalloproteinase9 (MMP-9) (92-kd gelatinase/type IV collagenase) and matrix metallo-proteinase2(MMP-2) (72-kd gelatinase/type IV collagenase), have been implicated as playing a major role in degradation of the basement membrane in cancer invasion and metastasis.A correlation between the tumor secretion of MMP-9 as well as MMP-2, and experimental metastsis has been reported.The cells producing these enzymes include not only connective tissue cells but also tumor cells. Here we evaluated the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in HCCs, and discussed the relationship between thexpression of them and their clinicopatholegic significances.Materials and Methods41 cases HCCs and adjacent nontumorous liver tissue were taken from the surgically resected specimen in Sir Rum Run Shaw Hospital from 2000 to 2002. As controls, 10 health adult liver specimens were wedge biopsies obtained during surgeries from patients with other abdominal lesions. Informed consent was obtained from every patient. After resection, the liver specimens were fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formaldehyde solution, and embedded in paraffin. Several 4 um section was obtained, one of them was stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and the rest were subjected to immouohistochemical staining. Expression of MMP-2 > MMP-9 were detected by immunochistochememical S-P method, with 1:1 dilution of primary antiboy of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Positive and negative controls were designed. Judging and grading system: for each antibody, postitive immonostaining appeares as yellow brown cystoplasma. The percentage of positive cells were calculated. The immunoreactioities in tumor cells were classified into the following two groups:(-), < 25% positive cells; (+),>25% positive cells. Statistical analysis: Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.Result and DiscussionMMP-2 > MMP-9 expression was seen in 17/41(41.7%), 19/41(46.3%) HCCs, resepeltively, while no expression was observed in adjacent nontumourous liver tissue and health humanyliver tissue. The difference were significicant (Fisher's exact test, P<0.01) . And positive immunoreactivity for MMP-9 was observed in stromal fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. No statistically significant association was found between MMP-2 v MMP-9 expression data and sex, age, HBSAg, HCVAb, tumor size, cirrhosis, capsula formation,and venous invasion. There expression was stronger in HCC cases with capsular infiltration than those without capsular infiltration... |
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