Shima I, Sasaguri Y, Kusukawa J, Yamana H, Fujita H, Kakegawa T, Morimatsu M
Department of Pathology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Cancer. 1992 Dec 15;70(12):2747-53. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19921215)70:12<2747::aid-cncr2820701204>3.0.co;2-5.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are a gene family of zinc enzymes capable of degrading almost all of the extracellular matrix macromolecules in vivo. Their enzymic activities are believed to be responsible for tumor invasion and metastasis.
In this study, using peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, monospecific antisera against MMP-1 (tissue collagenase), MMP-2 (type IV collagenase/72-kilodalton [KD] gelatinase), and MMP-3 (stromelysin) were applied to 29 squamous cell carcinomas and normal epithelium of the esophagus to identify cells synthesizing and secreting these enzymes.
Immunoreactivity of MMP-1, -2, and -3 was observed in small cancer nests of the deeply invasive or marginal portion of the tumor. Among the 29 patients studied, the presence of at least one MMP was observed in 17 (58.6%). All three enzymes were observed in six (20.6%) patients, MMP-2 and -3 in five (17.2%) patients, only MMP-2 in three (10.3%) patients, and MMP-3 alone in three (10.3%) patients. There was a good correlation among histologic stage and tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and MMP expression. In particular, expression of MMP-2 and -3 was closely related to lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion.
These results suggest that MMP, especially MMP-2 and -3, play an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis and that analysis of MMP-2 and -3 production is useful for evaluation of malignant potential in esophageal carcinoma.
基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）是一个锌酶基因家族，能够在体内降解几乎所有细胞外基质大分子。据信它们的酶活性与肿瘤侵袭和转移有关。
在本研究中，采用过氧化物酶-抗过氧化物酶法，将针对MMP-1（组织胶原酶）、MMP-2（IV型胶原酶/72千道尔顿[KD]明胶酶）和MMP-3（基质溶解素）的单特异性抗血清应用于29例食管鳞状细胞癌及正常食管上皮，以识别合成和分泌这些酶的细胞。
在肿瘤深部浸润或边缘部分的小癌巢中观察到MMP-1、-2和-3的免疫反应性。在研究的29例患者中，17例（58.6%）观察到至少一种MMP的存在。6例（20.6%）患者观察到所有三种酶，5例（17.2%）患者观察到MMP-2和-3，3例（10.3%）患者仅观察到MMP-2，3例（10.3%）患者仅观察到MMP-3。组织学分期与肿瘤侵袭、淋巴结转移和MMP表达之间存在良好的相关性。特别是，MMP-2和-3的表达与淋巴结转移和血管侵袭密切相关。
这些结果表明，MMP，尤其是MMP-2和-3，在肿瘤侵袭和转移中起重要作用，并且分析MMP-2和-3的产生对于评估食管癌的恶性潜能是有用的。
