MMP-1 and MMP-2 expression in uterine leiomyosarcoma and correlation with different clinicopathologic parameters.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been suggested to play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis because they degrade a wide range of components of the extracellular matrix. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-2 proteins in patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma.

METHODS:

MMP-1 and MMP-2 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry from paraffin-embedded tissue sections in 21 patients with uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS). The immunohistochemical findings were correlated with different clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients.

RESULTS:

MMP-1 was expressed in 86% and MMP-2 was expressed in 48% of uterine LMS. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between vascular space involvement and MMP-2 expression (P =.05) and between age and MMP-2 expression, with patients over 50 years old having significantly more frequent MMP-2-positive tumors than patients younger than 50 years (P =.006). The relationship between MMP-2 expression and tumor stage and recurrence disease did not reach statistical significance. A trend towards prolonged disease-free survival was observed in women with MMP-2-negative LMS compared with patients with MMP-2-positive LMS (P =.09). Furthermore, a univariate analysis revealed that early tumor stage (P =.0001), age at diagnosis less than 50 years (P =.02), and the absence of vascular space involvement (P =.04) were associated with longer overall survival.

CONCLUSION:

The statistically significant positive correlation between MMP-2 expression and vascular space involvement as well as the prolonged disease-free survival rate in patients with MMP-2 negative uterine LMS suggest that MMP-2 plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Further clinical studies with larger numbers of cases need to be performed to verify these findings.

• Authors: B Bodner-Adler, K Bodner, O Kimberger, K Czerwenka, S Leodolter, K Mayerhofer
• Journal: Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation (J Soc Gynecol Investig) Vol. 10 Issue 7 Pg. 443-6 (Oct 2003) ISSN: 1071-5576 [Print] United States
• PMID: 14519487 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 1

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Leiomyosarcoma (enzymology, pathology)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 (analysis)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (analysis, physiology)
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
• Neoplasm Staging
• Survival Rate
• Uterine Neoplasms (enzymology, pathology)