The Expression Of MMP-9,CD₄₄V₆,nm23-H₁ In Hepatocellular Carcinoma And Their Significance

Objective:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) with the pathological characteristics of high aggression ,early metastasis ,tendancy to recurrence and poor prognosis is one of the most common malignant tumors.The metastasis and recurrence are a complicated process with multi-steps and also the major factors to influence the curative effect.Many researches show that there is a close relationship between the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor and the MMP-9 ,CD44V6 ,nm23-Hi protein . MMP-9 protein degrades and destroyes the extracellular matrix(ECM) near the surface of tumor and the CD44V6 protein takes part in the cancer's cell adhesion to the basal membrane.Thus,they enhance the tumor's invasion and metastasis .However the gene nm23-H1 can inhabit the metastasis of tumor and is called the inhabiting tumor metastasis gene .The expression of MMP-9 ,CD44V6 and nm23-Hi was detected in 60 HCC specimens after surgery with immunohistochemistry ,divided into high metastasis potential and low metastasis potential groups ,in order to explore their relationship with invasion and metastasis of HCC and provide the effective basals of metastasis ,recurrence ,prognosis and clinical treatment of HCC .Material and Method: All of the 60 surgical wax specimens of HCC(from 1997 to 2000) were obtained from the department of pathology of the first hospital affiliated to ZhengZhou University .None of the patients received the pre-operation therapy aimed at HCC and all of the specimens were 10%formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded.Every slice was 5\an thick,stained by HE,and diagnosed by two pathologists together.There were 50 males and 10 females.The age of patients ranged from 18 years to 60 years(mean:49.5).The diameter of tumor ranged from 3 on to 15 cm(mean:7.5 cm).Among them,30 cases with less than 5 cm and 30 cases with no less than 5 cm .There were 28 cases with pre-operation AFP value less than 100ng/ml and 32 cases with no less than 100ng/ml.There were 35 cases with high metastasis potential and 25 cases with low metastasis potential.Tumors were graded according to the criteria described by Edmondson:Grade I ,8 cases; Grade II ,10 cases; GradeIII,13cases and Grade IV 29 cases.Positive contrast:The known positive breast ductal carcinoma specimens were used as the positive contrast of MMP-9 ,CD44V6 and nm23-Hi and the every result was positive.Negative contrast:The known negative specimens were used as the negative contrast of MMP-9 ,CD44V6 and nm23-H1 and the every result was negative.Blank contrast:The first antibodies were replaced by PBS fluid and the result was negative.The anti-MMP-9,anti-CD44V6 and anti-nm23-H1 monoclonal antibodies were used to perform irnmunohistochemistry and the specimens were stained with S-P method.The 1000 tumor cells were counted in the 5 selected randomly HP areas in the positive part of the slice and were scored according to their shade of color and the number of positive cells.The cases with no less than 4 scores were viewed as positive cases and the cases with less than 4 scores were viewed as negative cases.The statistical analysis was executed by SPSS 10.0 software.The a values less than 0.05 were considered significant.Results: IJExpression of MMP-9:The rate of positive expression of MMP-9 in high metastasis potential group was 71.43%(25/35),while in low metastasis potential group it was 40.00%(10/25).Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference between the two rates of these two groups(P<0.05).The statistical analysis showed that the expression of MMP-9 had no relationship with the sex,age,differentiation, value of AFP before surgery,diameter of tumor of the patients(P>0.05).2.Expression of CD44V6:The rate of positive expression of CD44V6 in high metastasis potential group was 68.57%(24/35),while in low metastasis potential group it was 36.00%(9/25).Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference between the two rates of these two groups(P<0.05).The statistical analysis showed that the expression of CD44V6 had no relationship with the sex,age,di...