Relation Between Expression Of Matrix Metalloproteinases And Their Inhibitors In Human Gastric Cancer And Its Biologic Behaviour

Background and ObjectiveInvasion and metastasis are important biological features of malignant tumor. To date, there has been considerable evidence to indicate that individual matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play important roles in invasion and metastasis of various tumors. They are the most important enzymes involved in the degradation of the Extracellular matrix(ECM), and can degenerate nearly all components of it. MMPs and theirs inhibitors (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases, TIMPs) investigated recently are a series of multi-functional family factors ,which could degrade ECM and inhibit the activity of MMPs. MMPs and TIMPs distribut widespread in various tissues, a number of MMPs have been identifid but only four members of TIMPs are identified. TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 are members in this family. The expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-1,TIMP-2 in different tumor have been deeply investigated in abroad and our country, but rare are the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-1,TIMP-2 in patients with stomach cancer in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-1,TIMP-2 with invasion ,metastasis and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.Materials and MethodsSixty-three samples were obtained from gastrectomy speimens from patients with gastric cancer who had undergone gastrectomy for...