Expression and significance of matrix metalloproteinase-2,-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in transitional cell carcinoma of renal pelvis

Objective To examine the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2,MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of renal pelvis, and to investigate their correlation with the stage,grade and prognosis. Methods The expression levels of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in surgical specimens from 117 patients (97 males and 20 females,mean age of 59 years) were examined by immunohistochemical SP method.Pathologic grading showed G_1 tumor in 23 cases,G_2 in 73 and G3 in 21.TNM staging showed T_a tumor in 22 cases,T_1 in 27,T_2 in 21,T_3 in 25 and T_4 in 22. Results The positive rates of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 expression in TCC of renal pelvis was 81.2%(95/117),72.6%(85/117) and 72.6%(85/117),respectively.The intensity of expression and the position of positive expression cells were not well distributed.They were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of cancer cells.With the increasing of grades and stages,the expression rates of MMP-2 and MMP-9 increased and were correlated with the prognosis.The differences were significant (P 0.05).With the increasing of grades and stages,the expression rate of TIMP-1 decreased, but the difference was not significance (P 0.05). There was no correlation between the intensity of TIMP-1 expression and survival period.One-way ANOVA analysis showed that there was a close correlation between the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 and clinical stages and pathologic grades.The ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 increased with the increasing of grades and stages (P 0.05). Conclusions The detection of MMP-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 is important in the judgment of the clinical stages and pathologic grades of renal pelvic carcinomas.MMP-2,MMP-9 and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 are significantly correlated with the prognosis of renal pelvic carcinomas.