Relationship of COX-2 expression with P27~(kip1) and MMP-2 in cervical adenocarcinoma using tissue microarray

Purpose To study the relationship of the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with cell cycle regulator p27~(kip1) and matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) in cervical adenocarcinoma. Methods The expression of COX-2 with p27~(kip1) and MMP-2 was determined by tissue microarray combined with immunohistochemistry in 106 cases of cervical adenocarcinoma and 22 cases of cervical chronic inflammation. Results The positive rates of COX-2 and MMP-2 in cervical adenocarcinoma were 86.8% and 70.8% respectively,which were higher than that in cervical chronic inflammation(P0.01). The positive rates of p27~(kip1) in cervical adenocarcinoma was 58.5%,which was lower than that in cervical chronic inflammation(P0.05). The positive expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 was significantly higher in G3 than in G1 adenocarcinoma(P0.05). The expression of MMP-2 and p27~(kip1) was related to the histologic types,the level of MMP-2 was higher in clear-cell adenocarcinoma than that in endocervical adenocarcinoma and endometrioid adenocarcinoma (P0.05). While p27~(kip1) was lower in clear-cell adenocarcinoma than others (P0.05). There was positive correlation between the expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 in cervical adenocarcinoma(P0.01),but negative correlation between the expression of COX-2 and p27~(kip1)(P0.05). Conclusions Low-expression of p27~(kip1) and over-expression of COX-2 and MMP-2 are closely related in cervical adenocarcinoma and they play an important role in the development of cervical adenocarcinoma. The three biomarkers might be the indicators for the transformation of cervical lesions from benign to malignant status.