Visual and automated assessment of matrix metalloproteinase-14 tissue expression for the evaluation of ovarian cancer prognosis

Aging and the Impact of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation on the Expression of Type I and Type VI Collagen

Both endogenous and exogenous factors cause skin aging. This study aimed to compare the differential expressions of collagen type I (COL I) and collagen type VI (COL VI) in skins with biological aging and photoaging. In order to comprehend the impact of solar radiation in the dermis and the expression of COL I and COL VI, we studied the expression and their detection in healthy skin and in skin that had been characterized by aging. The hematoxylin and eosin staining protocol was performed in tissue paraffin blocks and they were then stained immunohistochemically with rabbit monoclonal anti-COL I and anti-COL VI antibodies. A total of 201 slides were studied with an Olympus BX 41 microscope, and the expressions of COL I and COL VI in the dermis were scored on a scale of 1 to 5, and then positively and statistically analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics software. The results show that solar elastosis changes the structure of the skin’s collagen and solar elastosis was observed in the skin tissues with photoaging without appearing to be affected by its appearance in relation to age. Solar radiation divides the collagen fibers more rapidly than normal biological aging and replaces the collagen fibers of the skin. COL I and COL VI are expressed differently along the dermis of healthy skin tissue and the skin tissue subject to photoaging.

The Proteolytic Landscape of Ovarian Cancer: Applications in Nanomedicine

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is one of the leading causes of mortality globally with an overall 5-year survival of 47%. The predominant subtype of OvCa is epithelial carcinoma, which can be highly aggressive. This review launches with a summary of the clinical features of OvCa, including staging and current techniques for diagnosis and therapy. Further, the important role of proteases in OvCa progression and dissemination is described. Proteases contribute to tumor angiogenesis, remodeling of extracellular matrix, migration and invasion, major processes in OvCa pathology. Multiple proteases, such as metalloproteinases, trypsin, cathepsin and others, are overexpressed in the tumor tissue. Presence of these catabolic enzymes in OvCa tissue can be exploited for improving early diagnosis and therapeutic options in advanced cases. Nanomedicine, being on the interface of molecular and cellular scales, can be designed to be activated by proteases in the OvCa microenvironment. Various types of protease-enabled nanomedicines are described and the studies that focus on their diagnostic, therapeutic and theranostic potential are reviewed.

The role of MMP-14 in ovarian cancer: a systematic review

AIM

In order to evaluate the role of MMP-14 in ovarian cancer, a systematic review was conducted.

METHODS

In March 2020, a search in Pubmed was performed with MMP-14 and ovarian cancer as search terms. After exclusion of the references not on MMP-14 or ovarian cancer or not in English, the studies found were classified into two categories: basic research and clinicopathological research.

RESULTS

In total, 94 references were found of which 33 were excluded. Two additional articles were found in the reference lists of the included studies. Based on the full texts, another 4 were excluded. Eventually, 59 studies were included in the review, 32 on basic research and 19 on clinicopathological research. 8 studies fell in both categories. The basic research studies show that MMP-14 plays an important role in ovarian cancer in the processes of proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. In clinocopathological research, MMP-14 expression is found in most tumours with characteristics of poor prognosis but this immunohistochemical MMP-14 determination does not seem to be an independent predictor of prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

From this systematic review of the literature concerning MMP-14 in ovarian cancer it becomes clear that MMP-14 plays various important roles in the pathophysiology of ovarian cancer. The exact translation of these roles in the pathophysiology to the importance of MMP-14 in clinicopathological research in ovarian cancer and possible therapeutic role of anti-MMP-14 agents needs further elucidation.

Impact of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in the Expression of Type I Collagen in the Dermis

Ultraviolet radiation exposure is the dominant environmental determinant of all major forms of skin cancer, and the main cause of prematurely aged skin that is referred to as photoaging. Collagen type I (COL I) is expressed differently along with the dermis between healthy and pathological skin tissues. The aim of this study was to understand the impact of solar radiation in the dermis and assess the impact of solar radiation to COL I. The hematoxylin and eosin staining protocol was performed in tissue paraffin blocks and then they were stained immunohistochemically with the rabbit monoclonal anti-COL I antibody. A total of 270 slides were studied with an Olympus BX 41 microscope; we scored positively the expression of COL I in dermis and statistically analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics. Based on our results, we observed that solar elastosis changes the structure of the skin’s collagen. In healthy tissues, COL I had a uniform expression along with the dermis. In tissues with aging, COL I expression was weaker and lost homogeneity. In pathological tissues (non-melanoma skin cancers, NMSCs), precancerous lesions, and benign skin lesions), the expression of COL I was observed to be almost weaker than tissues with aging in all body parts and much weaker below the lesions. The most severe solar elastosis was observed in the extremities. The degree of severity of the solar elastosis in relation to age did not appear to be completely affected. Solar radiation divides the collagen more rapidly than normal biological aging and solar elastosis was observed into the skin tissues with photoaging, which replaces the collagen fibers of the skin. These results confirm previous studies, which have shown that skin COL I decreases during aging, more in photoaging and even more in skin cancers. We conclude that skin COL I expression is reduced as a result of ultraviolet radiation and leading to negative impacts on the skin.

Proteases and their inhibitors as prognostic factors for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most lethal malignancies, but only very few prognostic biomarkers are known. The degradome, comprising proteases, protease non-proteolytic homologues and inhibitors, have been involved in the prognosis of many cancer types, including ovarian carcinoma. The prognostic significance of the whole degradome family has not been specifically studied in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. A targeted DNA microarray known as the CLIP-CHIP microarray was used to identify potential prognostic factors in ten high-grade serous ovarian cancer women who had early recurrence (<1.6 years) or late/no recurrence after first line surgery and chemotherapy. In women with early recurrence, we identified seven upregulated genes (TMPRSS4, MASP1/3, SPC18, PSMB1, IGFBP2, CFI - encoding Complement Factor I - and MMP9) and one down-regulated gene (ADAM-10). Using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the prognostic effect of these 8 candidate genes in an independent cohort of 112 high-grade serous ovarian cancer women. Outcomes were progression, defined according to CA-125 criteria, and death. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were done to estimate the associations between each protein and each outcome. High ADAM-10 expression (intensity of 2-3) was associated with a lower risk of progression (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29-0.87). High complement factor I expression (intensity 2-3) was associated with a higher risk of progression (adjusted HR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.17-4.53) and death (adjusted HR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.72-6.79). Overall, we identified the prognostic value of two proteases, ADAM-10 and complement factor I, for high-grade serous ovarian cancer which could have clinical significance.

HtrA1 expression and the prognosis of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma: a cohort study using digital analysis

BACKGROUND

The expression of high temperature requirement factor A1 (Htra1) has been reported to be decreased in ovarian carcinoma, but its prognostic effect remains undetermined.

METHODS

We evaluated the impact of HtrA1 downregulation in tumoral tissues on cancer progression and death in women with serous ovarian carcinoma. HtrA1 staining was performed on tissue microarrays (TMA) comprised of tumor samples from a cohort of 106 women who were diagnosed with primary high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma and receiving standard treatment at the Québec University Hospital between 1993 and 2006. HtrA1 expression was assessed visually (percentage of positive nuclei) and by digital image analysis (percentage of positive area). Cox regression multivariate models included standard prognostic factors and were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for progression or death in the cohort.

RESULTS

By visual analysis, a low percentage of HtrA1-positive nuclei (< 10% vs ≥10%) tend to be associated with a lower risk of progression (aHR = 0.71; 95% Confidence interval (CI) = 0.46-1.09; P = 0.11) and mortality (aHR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.41-1.04; P = 0.07). Low nuclear HtrA1 expression assessed by digital image analysis (< median % vs ≥ median %) showed a significant association with lower risk of progression (aHR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.40-0.95; p = 0.03) and death (aHR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.38-0.95; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Altogether, our results demonstrate that nuclear downregulation of HtrA1 is associated with a better prognosis in women with high grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in synovial sarcoma

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a highly aggressive malignant soft tissue sarcoma with typical characteristics of both epithelial and mesenchymal differentiation. Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) is reported to play an important role in some of these tumors. It induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in some carcinomas, such as breast and prostate cancers. However, the role of MMP-14 in the pathogenesis of SS remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the role of MMP-14 and EMT/mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition in SS. The expression of MMP-14 and EMT-related proteins was determined in 37 SS cases and transfected cells by immunohistochemistry staining and Western blotting. The invasion ability of transfected cells was determined by transwell invasion assay. The expression rates of MMP-14, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin were 75.7%, 54.1%, 75.7%, and 100%, respectively, in the cases of SS. The expression of MMP-14 correlated negatively with E-cadherin and positively with N-cadherin in monophasic fibrous SS. The MMP-14 protein expression was higher in stage III/IV than in stage I/II. After MMP-14 was transfected into SW982 cells, MMP-14, N-cadherin, and vimentin expression was up-regulated, and E-cadherin expression was down-regulated. High expression of MMP-14 enhanced the invasive ability of SW982 cells. Our findings suggest that MMP-14 enhances the invasive ability of SW982 cells by inducing EMT. By this action, it may play an important role in the occurrence and development of SS.

Propranolol prevents liver cirrhosis by inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation mediated by the PDGFR/Akt pathway

Propranolol is known to reduce portal pressure by decreasing blood flow to the splanchnic circulation and the liver. However, it is unknown if propranolol improves fibrogenesis and sinusoidal remodeling in the cirrhotic liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of propranolol on carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis in a mouse model and the intrinsic mechanisms underlying those effects. In this study, a hepatic cirrhosis mouse model was induced by CCl₄ administration for 6 weeks. Propranolol was simultaneously administered orally in the experimental group. Liver tissue and blood samples were collected for histological and molecular analyses. LX-2 cells induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) were used to evaluate the anti-fibrogenic effect of propranolol in vitro. The results showed that treatment of mice with CCl₄ induced hepatic fibrosis, as evidenced by inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen deposition and abnormal vascular formation in the liver tissue. All these changes were significantly attenuated by propranolol treatment. Furthermore, we also found that propranolol inhibited PDGF-BB-induced hepatic stellate cell migration, fibrogenesis, and PDGFR/Akt phosphorylation. Taken together, propranolol might prevent CCl₄-induced liver injury and fibrosis at least partially through inhibiting the PDGF-BB-induced PDGFR/Akt pathway. The anti-fibrogenic effect of propranolol may support its status as a first-line treatment in patients with chronic liver disease.

EZH2 upregulation correlates with tumor invasiveness, proliferation, and angiogenesis in human pituitary adenomas

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a critical component of the polycomb repressive complex 2, which epigenetically represses genes involved in tumorigenesis and is highly expressed in tumors. However, no studies have investigated EZH2 expression and its clinical significance in human pituitary adenomas (PAs). Therefore, we examined the expression pattern of EZH2 in PAs and studied the correlations between protein expression and invasiveness, proliferation, angiogenesis, hormone functioning, and some other factors. We measured EZH2 and MMP-14 protein and EZH2 mRNA expression in 62 samples of PAs by immunohistochemistry staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and correlated protein expression relative to clinicopathologic features. The immunopositive rate of EZH2 was 88.7% (55/62). The extent of expression was associated with invasiveness, microvessel density, and proliferation (Ki-67 index). Moreover, EZH2 expression correlated with MMP-14 expression. We did not find any correlation between EZH2 overexpression and hormone-secreting function or patient age or sex. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the amount of EZH2 mRNA was significantly higher in invasive than in noninvasive adenomas. This is the first report to describe EZH2 overexpression in human PAs, especially invasive adenomas. Thus, EZH2 is a potentially useful diagnostic marker and pharmacotherapeutic target for invasive PAs.

Relationship between matrix metalloproteinases and the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the most malignant genital cancers, with a high mortality rate. Many researchers have suggested that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have remarkably high expression in ovarian cancer tissues. MMPs are considered to be related to the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer. Moreover, some studies have discovered that the unbalance between MMPs and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are associated with the malignant phenotype of tumors. This review summarizes the latest research progress of MMPs in ovarian cancer. The investigation of MMP mechanism in ovarian cancer will facilitate the development of effective anti-tumor drugs, and thereby improve the survival rate of patients with ovarian cancer.

Upregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 and matrix metalloproteinase-14 expression contribute to metastatic properties of gastric cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protein and mRNA expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP14) and CDK7 in gastric cancer (GC) tissues. Upregulation of MMP14 mRNA level was observed in GC tissues when compared with the matched normal tissues (mean ± SD: 3.92 ± 1.15 vs. 1.35 ± 0.81, P < 0.001). This study indicated that mRNA levels of CDK7 were statistically overexpressed in GC when compared with matched normal tissues (4.12 ± 0.84 vs. 1.43 ± 0.71, P < 0.001). The protein levels of MMP14 were found to be increased in GC (60.41%; P < 0.001). The expression of CDK7 was higher in GC tissues than matched normal tissues (70.83; P < 0.001). We found that high MMP14 expression was related to advanced TNM stage (P = 0.004), tumor grade (P = 0.002), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015), but no association with other clinical variables (P > 0.05). In addition, high expression of CDK7 was significantly linked to advanced TNM stage (P = 0.001), pathological grade (P = 0.012), and presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.009), while no correlation between CDK7 expression and other clinical variables, such as age and gender, distance metastasis. The patients with high expression of MMP14 and CDK7 exhibited worse survival time than those with higher levels. Cox multivariate regression analysis clearly showed that high expression of MMP14 and CDK7 was independent prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with GC. Taken together, these results indicated the overexpression of above markers in the progression and the tumorigenesis of GC and overall patient survival. © 2016 IUBMB Life, 68(10):799-805, 2016.

Airway smooth muscle enlargement is associated with protease-activated receptor 2/ligand overexpression in patients with difficult-to-control severe asthma

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a complex disease with heterogeneous features of airway inflammation and remodeling. The increase in airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass is an essential component of airway remodeling in patients with severe asthma, yet the pathobiological mechanisms and clinical outcomes associated with ASM enlargement remain elusive.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to compare ASM area in control subjects and patients with mild-to-moderate or severe asthma and to identify specific clinical and pathobiological characteristics associated with ASM enlargement.

METHODS

Bronchial biopsy specimens from 12 control subjects, 24 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, and 105 patients with severe asthma were analyzed for ASM area, basement membrane thickness, vessels, eosinophils, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, mast cells, and protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2). In parallel, the levels of several ASM mitogenic factors, including the PAR-2 ligands, mast cell tryptase, trypsin, tissue factor, and kallikrein (KLK) 5 and KLK14, were assessed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Data were correlated with asthma severity and control both at inclusion and after 12 to 18 months of optimal management and therapy.

RESULTS

Analyses across ASM quartiles in patients with severe asthma demonstrated that patients with the highest ASM quartile (median value of ASM area, 26.3%) were younger (42.5 vs ≥50 years old in the other groups, P ≤ .04) and had lower asthma control after 1 year of optimal management (P ≤ .006). ASM enlargement occurred independently of features of airway inflammation and remodeling, whereas it was associated with PAR-2 overexpression and higher alveolar tryptase (P ≤ .02) and KLK14 (P ≤ .03) levels.

CONCLUSION

Increase in ASM mass, possibly involving aberrant expression and activation of PAR-2-mediated pathways, characterizes younger patients with severe asthma with poor asthma control.

Immunohistochemical demonstration of EphA2 processing by MT1-MMP in invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor-2 (EphA2) overexpression is prevalent in many types of human cancers, and it has been reported that high EphA2 expression is correlated with malignancy. Recent studies revealed that processing of EphA2 by cleaving off the N-terminal portion by membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) promotes invasion via stimulation of Ras in cancer cells in vitro. The objectives of this study were to investigate the presence and role of EphA2 processing in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tissues. EphA2 (C-terminal and N-terminal) and MT1-MMP expression patterns and levels were analyzed immunohistochemically in SCC (n = 70) and Bowen disease (BD; n = 20). Levels of MT1-MMP and EphA2 expression were evaluated using digital image analysis. Proximity between MT1-MMP and EphA2 in cancer cells and its effect on EphA2 processing were investigated using a combination of in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) and Western blotting. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that levels of EphA2 N-terminal expression were significantly lower than those of EphA2 C-terminal expression in SCC, whereas levels of EphA2 C- and N-terminal expression were similar in BD. Western blotting showed processed EphA2 fragments in human SCC tissues. Expression levels of MT1-MMP, EphA2, and processed EphA2 fragments were higher in SCC than BD. Proximity between MT1-MMP and EphA2 in SCC was demonstrated by in situ PLA. Our results suggest possible involvement of MT1-MMP processing of EphA2 in invasiveness of cutaneous SCC.

Limited independent prognostic value of MMP-14 and MMP-2 expression in ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

In cancer, various MMPs play a role in progression and metastasis and their overexpression generally indicates a poor prognosis. MMP-14 is the main activator of MMP-2 and both molecules play a role in normal ovarian follicular development. Earlier reports indicated a prognostic value for both MMP-14 and MMP-2 in ovarian cancer. This study was designed to determine the prognostic value of MMP-14 and MMP-2 expression in ovarian cancer with data on long-term follow-up.

METHODS

Tumor samples of 94 consecutive ovarian cancer patients from one regional laboratory were evaluated. Clinical and survival data were collected and related to known prognostic factors, as well as to the expression of MMP-14 and MMP-2 as determined by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Epithelial MMP-14 expression correlated with stromal MMP-14 expression (rho = .47, p < .01) and epithelial MMP-2 expression was found to correlate with both MMP-14 epithelial and stromal expression (rho = -.28, p < .01 respectively rho = -.21, p < .05). In univariable analysis of 64 advanced-staged tumours, no MMP parameter was significant for progression-free or overall survival. In multivariable analysis for PFS, stromal MMP-14 expression and epithelial MMP-2 expression remained in the model. For overall survival, no MMP parameter showed significance.

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed the correlation between epithelial and stromal MMP-14 expression and between epithelial MMP-2 and both epithelial and stromal MMP-14 expression. In this study with long-term follow-up, the independent prognostic value of MMP-14 and MMP-2 expression in ovarian cancer is limited to a role in PFS for stromal MMP-14 expression and epithelial MMP-2 expression.

Comparison of digital image analysis and visual scoring of KI-67 in prostate cancer prognosis after prostatectomy

Background

The tumor proliferative index marker Ki-67 was shown to be associated with clinically significant outcomes in prostate cancer, but its clinical application has limitations due to lack of uniformity and consistency in quantification. Our objective was to compare the measurements obtained with digital image analysis (DIA) versus virtual microscopy (visual scoring (VS)).

Methods

To do so, we compared the measurement distributions of each technique and their ability to predict clinically useful endpoints. A tissue microarray series from a cohort of 225 men who underwent radical prostatectomy was immunostained for Ki-67. The percentage of Ki-67 positive nuclei in malignant cells was assessed both by VS and DIA, and a H–score was calculated. The distribution and predictive ability of these scoring methods to predict biochemical recurrence (BCR) and death from prostate cancer (DPCa) were compared using Mann–Whitney test and C-index.

Results

The measurements obtained with VS were similar to the DIA measurements (p = 0.73) but dissimilar to the H-score (p < 0.001). Cox regression models showed that Ki-67 was associated with BCR (HR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.10-1.94) and DPCa (HR 1.26, 95 % CI 1.06-1.50). C-indexes revealed that Ki-67 was a better predictor of DPCa (0.803, 0.8059 and 0.789; VS, DIA and H-score, respectively) than of BCR (0.625, 0.632 and 0.604; VS, DIA and H-score, respectively).

Conclusion

The measurement distributions and the predictive abilities of VS and DIA were similar and presented the same predictive behaviour in our cohort, supporting the role of Ki-67 proliferative index as an important prognostic factor of BCR and DPCa in prostate cancer post RP.

Virtual Slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/6656878501536663

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13000-015-0294-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Decreased MT1-MMP in gastric cancer suppressed cell migration and invasion via regulating MMPs and EMT

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been identified to play a significant role in several types of cancers, but little is known about the significance of MT1-MMP in gastric cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the involvement of MT1-MMP in tumor progression of gastric cancer. MT1-MMP expression levels were examined in gastric cancer tissues and cells, and normal gastric tissues and cells. The effects and molecular mechanisms of MT1-MMP expression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were also explored. In our results, MT1-MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissue. Moreover, the overexpression of MT1-MMP was positively associated with the status of clinical stage and lymph node metastasis through real-time PCR. Furthermore, knocking down MT1-MMP expression significantly suppressed the cell migration and invasion in vitro and regulated the expression of MMPs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. In conclusions, our study demonstrates that MT1-MMP was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue, and reduced expression of MT1-MMP suppressed cell migration, invasion, and through regulating the expression of MMPs and the process of EMT in gastric cancer.

Decreased MT1-MMP in gastric cancer suppressed cell migration and invasion via regulating MMPs and EMT

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been identified to play a significant role in several types of cancers, but little is known about the significance of MT1-MMP in gastric cancer patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the involvement of MT1-MMP in tumor progression of gastric cancer. MT1-MMP expression levels were examined in gastric cancer tissues and cells, and normal gastric tissues and cells. The effects and molecular mechanisms of MT1-MMP expression on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were also explored. In our results, MT1-MMP messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissue. Moreover, the overexpression of MT1-MMP was positively associated with the status of clinical stage and lymph node metastasis through real-time PCR. Furthermore, knocking down MT1-MMP expression significantly suppressed the cell migration and invasion in vitro and regulated the expression of MMPs and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated genes. In conclusions, our study demonstrates that MT1-MMP was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue, and reduced expression of MT1-MMP suppressed cell migration, invasion, and through regulating the expression of MMPs and the process of EMT in gastric cancer.

Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 Overexpression Is Correlated with the Progression and Poor Prognosis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) has been identified to play a significant role in several types of cancers, but little is known about the significance of MMP14 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. The aim of this study was to explore the association of MMP14 expression with clinicopathologic features and prognosis in NPC.

METHODS

MMP14 mRNA and protein expressions were examined in NPC and nasopharyngeal tissues through real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile, the relationship of MMP14 expression levels with clinical features and prognosis of NPC patients was analyzed.

RESULTS

MMP14 mRNA expression was markedly higher in NPC tissues than in nasopharyngeal epithelium tissues (p = 0.002). Using immunohistochemistry, staining for MMP14 protein was found in the normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cells and malignant epithelial cells, but increased expression of MMP14 was observed in NPC samples compared with normal nasopharyngeal epithelium samples (p = 0.027). In addition, high levels of MMP14 protein were positively correlated with the status of clinical stage (p = 0.009), N classification (p = 0.006), and distant metastasis (p = 0.005) of NPC patients. Patients with higher MMP14 expression had a significantly shorter overall survival time than did patients with low MMP14 expression. Multivariate analysis indicated that the level of MMP14 expression was an independent prognostic indicator (p < 0.001) for the survival of patients with NPC.

CONCLUSIONS

MMP14 overexpression is a potentially unfavorable prognostic factor for NPC patients.

Increased expression of MMP14 correlates with the poor prognosis of Chinese patients with gastric cancer

The role of matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) has been identified to involve tumor progression and prognosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of MMP14 in tumor progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. This study indicated that MMP14 mRNA and protein were overexpressed in gastric cancer tissue (P<0.001 and P=0.037, respectively) and significantly associated with clinical stage (P=0.005), lymph node metastasis (P=0.003), and distant metastasis (P=0.017). Moreover, we found that the overexpression of MMP14 was a significant predictor of poor prognosis for gastric cancer patients (P<0.001). Furthermore, we performed a meta-analysis which included 594 cases from 3 studies and showed that MMP14 overexpression was a significantly poor prognostic factor in Chinese patients with gastric cancer and HR (95% CI) was 2.17 (1.64-2.86). In conclusion, MMP14 plays an important role on gastric cancer progression and prognosis and acts as a convictive biomarker for prognostic prediction for Chinese patients with gastric cancer.

Prognostic significance of TIMP-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9 on high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma using digital image analysis

The objective of this cohort study was to evaluate whether the immunohistochemical expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, and MMP-9 could predict the occurrence of death and progression in women with ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). A total of 100 women with primary HGSC who were treated by cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec (Canada) were included. Biomarker expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays constructed from primary tumors. Immunostaining quantification was performed using digital image analysis, from algorithms created with Calopix software, and continuous H-score data were obtained. The cancer antigen-125 and/or the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors criteria were used to define progression. Dates of death were obtained by record linkage with the Québec mortality files. Hazard ratios (HRs) of death and progression with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Overall, a low variability of expression was observed for each marker. No association was found between the level of expression and standard prognostic factors. When assessed as a continuous variable, increased MMP-9 expression (10 units of H-score) was associated with death (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.16; P = .02), but not with progression (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.97-1.10; P = .29). There was no association between the expression of MMP-2 or tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease 2 and death or progression. In conclusion, in a homogeneous cohort of women with HGSC, increased MMP-9 tissue expression, as assessed by automated immunostaining quantification, was associated with a higher risk of death.

MT1-MMP is not a good prognosticator of cancer survival: evidence from 11 studies

MT1-MMP exhibits diverse expressions in patients with cancer and could be considered as potential prognostic biomarker of cancer. We performed a meta-analysis aiming to provide more sufficient evidence that MT1-MMP expression is associated with poor overall survival in several types of cancers. We systematically searched the studies from databases and carefully identified based on eligibility criteria. The association between MT1-MMP expression and overall survival in cancers was estimated using Review Manager. A total of 11 literatures which included 1,918 cancer patients were combined in the final analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that MT1-MMP overexpression was associated with an unfavorable overall survival and the pooled hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95 % confidence interval (CI) was 2.46 (95 % CI 1.75-3.47). From subgroup analyses, we identified that MT1-MMP was an independent prognostic factor for lung cancer and gastric cancer, and HRs (95 % CI) were 3.73 (95 % CI 2.67-5.21) and 2.46 (95 % CI 1.69-3.59), respectively. In conclusion, MT1-MMP is a potential prognostic factor in human cancers.