Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and steroid receptor expressions in feline mammary tumors

Hormone receptor expression, clinical and histopathological analysis in feline injection site sarcomas

Feline injection site sarcomas (FISS) are aggressive, with high recurrence and rarely metastasising. The objective of this study was to evaluate, by immunohistochemistry, the expression of oestrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors in FISS and correlate them with clinical and histopathological aspects. This was a retrospective study with 51 cases of FISS. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect vimentin, ER, PR and Ki67 expression. Clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics were predictor variables and the expression of ER and PR were the dependent ones. Twenty-eight (55%) of the 51 FISS cases were female and 23 (45%) male with 10.7 ± 4.2 years and median tumour size of 3 cm (2.0-5.4). The trunk was the most affected site, with 38 cases (84%). Histological grade III was observed in 57% of the cases, considering differentiation score, necrosis and mitotic index. ER expression, positive in 64% of cases, was associated with the mitotic index (P = .05) and degree of pleomorphism (P = .04). PR was not associated with the variables and 63% of cases were negative for this receptor. Thus, ER expression can affect tumour growth. The knowledge on the FISS hormonal expression is important to clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms. Further studies are needed to predict the value of ER expression in the prognosis of FISS.

Transcriptomic profiling of feline teeth highlights the role of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) in tooth resorption

Tooth resorption (TR) in domestic cats is a common and painful disease characterised by the loss of mineralised tissues from the tooth. Due to its progressive nature and unclear aetiology the only treatment currently available is to extract affected teeth. To gain insight into TR pathogenesis, we characterised the transcriptomic changes involved in feline TR by sequencing RNA extracted from 14 teeth (7 with and 7 without signs of resorption) collected from 11 cats. A paired comparison of teeth from the same cat with and without signs of resorption identified 1,732 differentially expressed genes, many of which were characteristic of osteoclast activity and differentiation, in particular matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). MMP9 expression was confirmed by qPCR and immunocytochemistry of odontoclasts located in TR lesions. A hydroxamate-based MMP9 inhibitor reduced both osteoclast formation and resorption activity while siRNA targeting MMP9 also inhibited osteoclast differentiation although had little effect on resorption activity. Overall, these results suggest that increased MMP9 expression is involved in the progress of TR pathogenesis and that MMP9 may be a potential therapeutic target in feline TR.

Downregulation of microRNA-204 increases the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9 in pediatric patients with pulpitis and Helicobacter pylori infection in the stomach

The present study examined the expression of microRNA (miRNA or miR)-204 in pulp tissues, blood and saliva from pediatric patients with pulpitis and an underlying Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in the stomach, and the mechanism of the associated regulation by miR-204 was assessed. A total of 26 children with pulpitis who received tooth extraction at the Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Nanjing, China) between December 2014 and August 2016 were diagnosed with Hp infection in the stomach and included in the present study (HP⁺ group); furthermore, 19 children with pulpitis but without Hp infection in the stomach were enrolled as a control (HP^- group). Pulp tissues, blood (serum) and saliva samples were collected from all subjects. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of miR-204 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) mRNA. Western blot analysis was performed to determine MMP9 protein expression in pulp tissues, while ELISA was performed to measure the contents of MMP9 in serum and saliva. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the direct interaction between miR-204 and its target protein. The results indicated that Hp infection in the stomach was associated with an upregulation of MMP9 mRNA and protein in pulp tissues, serum and saliva from children with pulpitis. Furthermore, the levels of miR-204 in pulp tissues, serum and saliva from children with pulpitis and Hp infection in the stomach were significantly reduced. miR-204 was confirmed to regulate the expression of MMP9 by directly binding with the 3'-untranslated region of MMP9 mRNA. The present study demonstrated that MMP9 expression in pulp tissues, blood and saliva from children with pulpitis and Hp infection in the stomach was upregulated, while miR-204 expression was downregulated. miR-204 may affect inflammatory processes and other oral diseases in children with pulpitis and Hp infection via MMP9, and may be a potential marker for the detection of Hp infection in children with pulpitis.

Immunohistochemical Expression Profiles of Cell Adhesion Molecules, Matrix Metalloproteinases and their Tissue Inhibitors in Central and Peripheral Neoplastic Foci of Feline Mammary Carcinoma

Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is a common cancer with high metastatic potential and high mortality rate. Loss of cell-cell interactions and degradation of the extracellular matrix by proteinases enhances tumour invasion and metastasis. Peripheral neoplastic foci (PNF) are defined as the presence of discrete tumour cell clusters, splitting off from central neoplastic foci (CNF) and lodging around these CNF. PNF therefore locate at the tumour-host interface at the site of invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate immunohistochemically the expression of cell adhesion molecules (e-cadherin [CDH-1], syndecan 1 [SDC-1] and nectin-2), matrix metalloproteinases (matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-2, MMP-7 and MMP-9) and their tissue inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase [TIMP]-1 and TIMP-2) together with the cellular proliferation marker, Ki67, in CNF and PNF of FMCs of different clinical stages and histological grades. Compared with control sections from areas of mammary gland hyperplasia, lower expression of MMP-7 and TIMP-2 was observed in all stages. Increased expression of TIMP-1 was observed in PNF in early-stage disease with no metastasis, while marked expression of CDH-1 and Ki67 occurred in late-stage FMC. In addition, the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in PNF of tumours with high histological grade (grade III) was higher than in low-grade tumours. The observed divergent protein expression in PNF could potentially form the basis of acting as novel markers in FMC. Potential markers may include the expression of TIMP-1 in PNF in early stage lesions, the expression of CDH-1 and Ki67 in late stages and the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in high-grade tumours.

Feline Injection-Site Sarcoma

Feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) is an aggressive tumor believed to arise from the proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in areas of chronic inflammation, particularly at sites of injection. Local recurrence is frequent after surgical excision. Gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and their inhibitor (TIMP-2) are endopeptidases pivotal in extracellular matrix remodeling and therefore in tumor invasiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 in FISS to assess their usefulness as prognostic factors. Size, soft tissue sarcoma (STS) grading system, depth of infiltration, surgical margins, and Ki-67 index were evaluated as additional prognostic markers. Twenty-four cases of primary FISS were classified according to clinical follow-up as nonrecurrent (NR, n = 14; 58.3%) and recurrent (R, n = 10; 41.7%). MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 were variably expressed in the FISS examined, confirming their role in tumor invasiveness, yet they did not show significant differences between the R and NR groups. These results could be due to different tumor stages or to the multiple activities of these enzymes, not limited to ECM remodeling. The immunohistochemical expression of these enzymes considered alone does not seem to be useful as a prognostic marker. STS grading system, depth of infiltration, surgical margins, and Ki-67 index did not relate to recurrence. Instead, the size of the tumor, measured after formalin fixation, with an optimal cutoff of 3.75 cm (accuracy = 86%; P < .05), and the mitotic count, with an optimal cutoff of 20 mitoses/10 HPF (accuracy = 80%; P < .05), could be evaluated as useful prognostic markers.

MiR-221-induced PUMA silencing mediates immune evasion of bladder cancer cells

Immune evasion of cancer cells is mainly due to the impaired transduction of apoptotic signals from immune cells to cancer cells, as well as inhibition of subsequent apoptosis signal cascades within the cancer cells. Over the past few decades, the research has focused more on the impaired transduction of the apoptotic signal from immune cells to cancer cells, rather than inhibition of the intracellular signaling pathways. In this study, miR‑221 inhibitor was transfected into bladder cancer cell lines 5637, J82 and T24 to repress the expression of miR‑221. As a result, the repression of miR‑221 on p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) was abolished, resulting in increased expression of the pro-apoptotic Bax and reduced expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, which promotes apoptosis of bladder cancer cells. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF-C were reduced, resulting in reduced invasiveness and infiltration capability of bladder cancer cells, thereby inhibiting the immune evasion of bladder cancer cells.

Matrix metalloproteinase, vitamin A and methylprednisolone effects on experimentally induced amyloid arthropathy

We evaluated the role of some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in enhancing the effect of vitamin A and the inhibiting effect of methylprednisolone on amyloid arthropathy in brown layer chicks. We used 100 one-day-old Isa brown layer chicks. The chicks were allocated to one of four groups as follows: negative control group (I), vitamin A group (II), positive control group (III) and methylprednisolone group (IV). Amyloid arthropathy was induced by injections of complete Freund's adjuvant into the left intertarsal joints of the chicks. Serum vitamin A and tissue MMP (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9) levels were measured and differences among the groups were investigated. Serum vitamin A rates (μg/dl) were: 63.57 ± 4.10, 47.13 ± 10.62, 53.26 ± 10.79, 98.48 ± 8.20 in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (p < 0.001). MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were evaluated in tissues from the chickens with amyloid arthropathy. Methylprednisolone significantly suppressed the release of MMP-1 and MMP-2, and increased the release of MMP-9 in birds with amyloid arthropathy. In addition, vitamin A significantly increased the release of MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9.