Correlation between matrix metalloproteinases-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 expression, metastatic potential and tumor angiogenesis in synovial sarcoma and its prognostic significance / 中华病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2 in tumor cells of synovial sarcoma and its clinical significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in tumor cells of 72 cases of synovial sarcoma was studied by immunohistochemistry. The profile was correlated with clinicopathologic parameters, microvessel density (MVD) (analyzed by CD31 immunostaining) and survival rate.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) There was a statistically significant negative correlation between expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 (r = -0.290 and P = 0.013). (2) The proportion of high MMP-2 expression to low TIMP-2 expression in patients with tumor metastasis was significantly higher than that in patients without metastasis (P = 0.010 and 0.002 respectively). (3) MVD of patients with high MMP-2 expression was higher than that in the low MMP-2 expression group (P = 0.005). MVD of patients with high TIMP-2 expression was lower than that in the low TIMP-2 expression group (P = 0.048). (4) Low TIMP-2 expression significantly correlated with poor prognosis of patients with synovial sarcoma, by univariate and multivariate survival analysis (P = 0.002 and 0.016 respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 correlates with metastatic potential and tumor angiogenesis in synovial sarcoma. Low TIMP-2 expression often indicates poor prognosis and unfavorable clinical outcomes.</p>