The Expression And Clinical Significance Of Galectin-3 And MMP-2 In Human Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objectives:To evaluate the expressions and clinical significance of Galectin-3 and MMP-2 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To explore the role of Galectin-3 and MMP-2 in metastasis and prognosis of NSCLC so that some fundamental data might be supplied to the study of metastasis-associated factors.Methods:Immunohistochemistry (SP) method was used to detect the expression of Galectin-3 and MMP-2 in 20 cases of normal lung tissues, 54 cases of lung squamous cell carci-nomas, 42 cases of lung adenocarcinomas. The staining score was calculated as in-tensity multiplied by percentages. The relationships between the expressions of pro-tains and clinicopathological features were studied by Rank-sum test. Standard Cox regression analyses, Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were also used to fit an ex-planatory model to the relapse-free and overall survival data.Result:1. The expression of the Galectin-3 in NSCLC was significantly higher than normal lung tissue (Z=-2.220, P<0.05). Also, the expression of Galectin-3 in NSCLC was not relevant to sex, N and TNM stage (P>0.05); but relevant to age, T, histological tissue type, the differentiation of carcinoma tissue (P<0.05). The lower differen-tiation of carcinoma tissue had the stronger expression of Galectin-3 (rs=0.265,P=0.009). The expression of Galectin-3 in the adenocarcinomas was stronger than in the adenocarcinomas (rs=0.229,P=0.025). The younger patient had the stronger expression of Galectin-3 (rs=-0.257,P=0.012).2. The expression of the MMP-2 in NSCLC was significantly higher than normal lung tissue (Z=-2.307, P<0.05). Also, the expression of MMP-2 in carcinoma was not relevant to sex, age, histological tissue type, M classification and carcinoma differ-entiation (P>0.05); but relevant to T and N classification, pTNM stage of the carci-noma (P<0.05). The higher T and TNM stage had the stronger expression of MMP-2. The carcinoma with lymph node metastases has higher expression of MMP-2 than those without lymph node metastases.3. The expressions of Galectin-3 and MMP-2 were correlated with each other in NSCLC (rs = 0.243,P=0.017).4. The expressions level of MMP-2 and Galectin-3, the differentiation level of carci-noma tissue were relevant to prognosis (P<0.05).Conclusion:1. The expressions of Galectin-3 and MMP-2 are correlated with the development of NSCLC.2. MMP-2 plays an important role in the process of local infiltration and lymph node metastases of NSCLC.3. The high expressions of MMP-2 and Galectin-3 of NSCLC are possibly independ-ent predictive factors of prognosis.