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<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are one of the major classes of proteolytic enzymes involved in tumor invasion and metastasis and are inhibited by naturally occurring tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). {AU Query: Please verify that corrections made to previous sentence did not alter intended meaning}. In this study, we examined the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, membrane-type 1 (MT1)-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in renal tissue samples of renal cell cancer and examined the correlation between their expression and clinicopathological parameters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Renal tissue samples from 76 patients with renal cell carcinoma were available for this study. To determine the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2, semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out on tumor and normal tissues.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 mRNA expression in the renal cell carcinomas was significantly higher than in the normal renal tissue (<it>P</it> <0.05). The RT-PCR data of MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 did not show any significant correlation with tumor type or pathologic grade of renal cell carcinoma. MMP-2, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP mRNA expression increased significantly with the TNM stage of the tumor.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Mean MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 mRNA expression in the renal cell carcinomas was significantly higher than in the normal renal tissue.</p>