Relationships between expressions of COX-2, MMP-9 and tumor microvessel density in patients with osteosarcoma.

Objective:To observe the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinases-9(MMP-9) in patients with osteosarcomas and their relationships with tumor microvessel density(MVD).Methods:57 osteosarcoma patients in our hospital from 2002 to 2007 were enrolled,including 15 cases in stage Ⅰ,19 cases in stage Ⅱ and 23 cases in stage Ⅲ.Meanwhile,18 cases of osteochondromas were selected as control.Expressions of COX-2 and MMP-9 in osteosarcoma and osteochondroma tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry and MVD was counted by immunohistochemical stain with CD34 antibody.Results:The positive rates of COX-2 and MMP-9 in osteosarcoma tissue was 70.2%(40/57) and 66.7%(38/57),respectively,which were higher than those in osteochondroma tissue.The positive rate of COX-2 and MMP-9 of osteosarcomas in stage Ⅲ were significantly higher than those in stage I and stage Ⅱ.MVD of osteosarcomas tissue in stage Ⅲ was significantly higher than those in stage Ⅰ and in stageⅡ.The MVD of the COX-2 positive cases was significantly higher than that of the negative ones.MVD of the MMP-9 positive cases was higher than that of the negative ones.Conclusion:The expression of COX-2 is concordant with the expression of MMP-9 in osteosarcoma tissue and they are closely correlated with the clinical stage and the angiogenesis of osteosarcomas.