The expression and clinical significance of MMP-2 and MMP-7 in colorectal carcinomas

Objective To investigate the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-7 and their elinieopathologieal significance in eoloreetal carcinomas. Methods The expression of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-7 mRNA and MMP-2, MMP-7 in 42 samples of eoloreetal carcinomas and its adjacent normal eoloreetal mueosa were examined using fluo-rescence quantitative RT-PCR (FQ-RT-PCR) and immunohistoehemistry. The relationship of their expression with some elinieopathologieal characteristics was analyzed. Results MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-7 mRNA and MMP-2, MMP-7 were significantly over-expressed in eoloreetal carcinomas compared with its adjacent normal eoloreetal mueosa( P < 0.05 ) , and they were positively associated with bowel wall invasion, the regional lymph node metastasis and Dukes stage. The expression of MMP-2 mRNA and MMP-7 mRNA was positively correlated with MMP-2 and MMP-7 in eoloreetal eareinornas. Conclusions MMP-2 and MMP-7 may play a key role in eoloreetal carcinogenesis,tumor in-vasion and metastasis. Examination of combined MMP-2 and MMP-7 expression may have an important significance to judge the malignant degree and biological behavior of human eoloreetal carcinoma and for evaluating the progno-sis. Key words: Colorectal carcinoma;  Matrix metalloproteinase;  Fluorescent quantitation-reverse transcrip-tion-PCR;  Immunohistochemistry