Expressions of TGIF, MMP9 and VEGF proteins and their clinicopathological relationship in gastric cancer / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To detect the expressions of TG-interacting factor (TGIF), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins, and to analyze their clinicopathological relationship in gastric cancer.@*METHODS@#Vascular invasion and remote metastasis were examined in nude mice inoculated with SGC-7901 cells, vector control cells or TGIF transfected cells via serial sections, and sequentially the expressions of MMP2, MMP9 and VEGF proteins in tumor tissues from nude mice were detected by immunohistochemical staining. At the same time, TGIF, MMP9 and VEGF proteins were examined in 76 patients with gastric carcinoma, and the relationships between the expressions of the three proteins and clinicopathological features were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#Metastasis was not observed in nude mice inoculated with any cells. There were cancerous embolisms in nude mice tumor tissue inoculated with SGC-7901 cells and vector control cells, but not in TGIF transfected cells. The expressions of MMP9 and VEGF proteins were higher in the tumor tissues originated from SGC-7901 cells and vector control cells than that from TGIF transfected cells. The expression of MMP2 had no distinct difference among the tumor tissues originated from the three cells. The positive rate of TGIF protein in gastric carcinoma was 46.1% (35/76), obviously lower than that in surgical marginal mucosa (78.1%) (P < 0.05). Low expression of TGIF protein correlated significantly with the metastasis of lymph node. The positive rates of MMP9 and VEGF proteins in gastric carcinoma were 59.2% and 56.6%, respectively, obviously higher than that in surgical marginal mucosa (31.3%) (P < 0.05). High expressions of both MMP9 and VEGF also correlated significantly with the metastasis of lymph node. The expression level of VEGF protein was also associated with the invasion of gastric carcinoma (P < 0.05). The expression of TGIF protein reversely correlated with that of MMP9 and VEGF proteins (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#TGIF may inhibit the invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma via the downregulation of MMP9 and VEGF proteins.