Zymographic analyses of matrix metalloproteinaseª²2,ª²9 in plasmas of patients with breast cancer

    WANG Xinª²You, WANG Ling, WANG Hui, LI Nanª²Lin, WANG Ting

    Deparment of Vascular £¦ Endocrine Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To investigate the possible relationship between the activity levels of MMPª²2,ª²9 in the plasmas of patients with breast caner and the clincopathological parameters. METHODS: The values of MMPª²9 and MMPª²2 in 20 healthy plasma samples and 58 cancer plasmas were determined by densitometric scan of zymograms. RESULTS: The activity levels of both MMPª²2 and MMPª²9 in breast cancer patients were significantly higher than those in control (P<0.01). The elevated activity levels of the enzymes were correlated with lymph node metastasis and cª²erbBª²2 overexpression (P<0.05). An inverse correlation was found between the enzymes and oestrogen receptor (ER) levels (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: MMPª²2, ª²9 in the plasmas may play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and they may serve as useful molecules in predicting tumor invasion, metastasis and prognosis. ......