Expression Of MMP_-9 And TIMP_-1 And Intratumor Microvessel Density In Human Breast Cancer: Correlation With Biological Characteristics

Objective To investigate correlations between expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and intratumor microvessel density and biological characteristics in human breast cancer. Methods Intratumor microvessel density(MVD) and the expression of MMP₉ and TIMP-1 in parafin-embedded breast cancinoma specimens from 48 patients with primary invasive breast cancer who had undergone radical mastectomy or modified radical mastectomy from January of 1990 to Dcecember of 1996 were detected by the standard streptavidin biotin peroxides method,and their correlations to clinicopathologic features were analyzed. Ruslts Among 48case,the positive expression rate of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were 41.7% and 29.2%,respectively.The mean MVD of all patients was 25.3 ?.1 , MMP-9 expression were higher in patients with axillary lymph node metastasis than in those without metasttasis (p<0.05),and MMP-9 expression were higher in patients with lower histological grades than in those with higher histological grades(p<0.05) , and MMP-9 expression were higher in patients with distant metastasis than in those without distant metastasis(p<0.05), and patients with higher expression of MMP-9 had a worse prognosis than those with lower expression (p<0.05). TIMP-1 expression were higher in patients with lower histological grades than in those with higher histological grades(p<0.05), and TIMP-1 expressions were higher in patients with axillary lymph node metastsis than in those without metastsis(p<0.05), and TIMP-1 expression were higher in patients with distant metastasis than in those without distant metastasis (P<0.05), and patients with higher exerpression of TIMP-1 had a worse prognosis than those with lower expression (P<0.05). Increased MVD was associated with bigger tumour size, higher tumor grade, higher tumor lymph node metastsis, higher distant metastasis and poorerprognosis(P<0.05). Intratumor angiogenesis may have a relationship to the imbalance expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1. Among 48 cases, patients with higher expression of MMP-9 had a higher MVD than those with lower expression. Conclusion MMP-9 , TIMP-1 and MVD are correlated with growth, metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer .These results provide a valuable clue for developing new, pratical prognosticators in breast cancer patients, which may be used to direct clinic therapy.