[Clinical significance of matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in patients with epithelial ovarian tumor].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and clinical characteristics of patients with epithelial ovarian tumor. METHODS: Reverse transcriptase-ploymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of MMP-2 in 41 epithelial ovarian cancer and 26 ovarian benign tumors. Western blot analysis was used to examine proMMP-2 and active MMP-2 in these tumors. RESULTS: The expression of MMP-2 gene and protein was not significantly higher in malignant tissues than that in benign ones. The positive percentage of active MMP-2 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer was 71% and 42% in ovarian benign tumor (P < 0.05). The positive percentage of active MMP-2 in stage IlI and IV epithelial ovarian cancer was significantly higher than in stage I and II epithelial ovarian cancer (P < 0.05). The positive percentage of active MMP-2 in progressive patients with epithelial ovarian cancer was significantly higher than in patients in remission (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MMP-2 gene and protein were generally expressed in epithelial ovarian tumor. There was a significant correlation between active MMP-2 and the invasion and metastasis of epithelial ovarian cancer. Active MMP-2 is a prognostic indicator in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.