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Increased expression of membrane type 1‐matrix metalloproteinase in head and neck carcinoma
Author(s) -
Yoshizaki Tomokazu,
Sato Hiroshi,
Maruyama Yumiko,
Murono Shigeyuki,
Furukawa Mitsuru,
Park ChangSoo,
Seiki Motoharu
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970101)79:1<139::aid-cncr20>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - matrix metalloproteinase , head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , pathology , immunohistochemistry , mmp2 , gelatinase a , metastasis , medicine , carcinoma , cancer , gelatinase , tumor progression , cancer research , biology , head and neck cancer
BACKGROUND Three types of membrane type‐matrix metalloproteinases (MT‐MMPs) have been identified as activators of pro‐MMP2 (gelatinase A/72‐kilodalton Type IV collagenase), which is believed to be crucial for tumor invasion and metastasis. MT1‐MMP has been shown to be widely expressed in various tissues and to be overexpressed in lung and gastric carcinomas. METHODS Activation of pro‐MMP2 was examined in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by gelatin zymography. The expression of the MT1‐MMP mRNA transcript was studied by Northern hybridization and that of MT1‐MMP protein by immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against MT1‐MMP. RESULTS Activation of pro‐MMP2 was observed in ten of ten HNSCC tissues. Increased expression of the MT1‐MMP mRNA transcript was also detected in eight of eight of these tissues. MT1‐MMP positive cells were detected at the tumor cell lesions in the majority of these carcinoma tissues by immunohistochemical staining (24 of 27). MT1‐MMP expression was more intense in moderately and well differentiated tumors than in poorly differentiated ones ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that MT1‐MMP is involved in the activation of pro‐MMP2 in HNSCC. These findings suggest that MT1‐MMP is significant not only as a tumor marker but as a new target for chemotherapy against HNSCC. Cancer 1997; 79:139‐44. © 1997 American Cancer Society.