Expressions Of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 And Its Tissue Inhibitor 1 In Pancreatic Carcinoma

Pancreatic carcinoma is one of the highest malignant tumors which ranks fifth for cancer deaths in western countries. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is characterised by a dense, desmoplastic stroma rich in collagen fibres, extracellular matrix proteins, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells. According to studies, molecules related to the immune response, such as immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, are selectively overexpressed in the tumour stroma. This fact supports the existence of an antitumour immune response exerted by the inflammatory cells that populate the peritumorous connective tissue. However, activated inflammatory cells may take part in the process of tumour invasion: tumour cells produce cytokines and growth factors that promote the growth of fibroblasts and may have chemotactic effects on inflammatory cells, which in turn synthesise cytokines, growth factors, and proangiogenic factors that contribute to cancer progression. MMP-9(matrix metalloproteinase-9) is a very important kind of MMPs which has many biological functions: degradation of basement membranes and extracellular matrix, activation of growth factors, suppression of tumour cell apoptosis, or release of angiogenic factors. MMP-9 have been shown to be overexpressed in a variety of malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. As well, it has been shown that disruption of the balance between MMP-9and natural tissue inhibitors of MMP-9 (TIMP-1) can alter the cancer progression. That how do the tumor-derived and the stroma-derived MMP-9, TIMP-1 contribute to the progression is not clear.Objective: To investigate the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in Pancreatic carcinoma tissues. and the relations between different-derived expression and the differentiation, stage .Method: We immunohistochemically analyzed the MMP-9, TIMP-1 expression in tissues from resected pancreatic carcinoma.Result: M MP-9 was detected in both pancreatic cancer cells and stroma.TIM P-1 was expressed predominantly in pancreatic cancer cells.The rate of TIMP-1 expression in cancer cells was lower than that in non-tumor pancreatic tissue (P> 0.05). its expression was not correlated with grade and staging (P> 0.05).The rate of M MP-9 expression in stromal cells was significantly higher than that in non-tumor pancreatic tissues and pancreatic cancer cells.And M MP-9 expression in stroma was positively correlated with grade and staging(P< 0.05).TIM P-1 expression was mainly in cancer cells and"normal cells"beside the cancer tissue, hardly seen in stromal cells. TIM P-l expression was correlated with M M P-9 expression in stroma,but not with M MP-9 expression in cancer cells (P> 0.05).Conclusion: 1. The expression of MMP-9 is correlated with the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer ,which is of significance to prognosis,diagnosis and treatment.2.There is no significant difference between cancer cells and non-tumor cells in the TIMP-1 expression, and the expression is not related to cancer grade and staging.