Expression of tissue levels of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in breast cancer

摘要

Background: We examined mRNA expression for MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in human breast cancer tissues, and the association between their expression and clinicopathological variables. Patients and methods: Breast tissue samples from 120 patients with breast cancer were available for this study. To determine mRNA expression for MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2, semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on tumor and normal tissues, respectively. Results: Mean MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 mRNA expression in the breast cancer was significantly higher than in the normal tissue. In terms of tumor size and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer, the differences in MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP mRNA expression levels were significant. Conclusion: The association between the increased expression of MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, and MTI-MMP and clinicopathological parameters reflects a role in predicting the aggressive behavior of breast cancer.