Clinical significance of HIF-1 alpha, MMP-2, and e-cadherin expression in rectal carcinoma

ABSTRACT

To investigate the clinical significance of aberrant hypoxia inducible factor-la [HIF-la], matrix metalloproteinase-2 [MMP-2], and E-cadherin expression in rectal adenocarcinoma. Prospective study.Chongqing Medical University, Chinese Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Provincial Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China A total of 88 rectal adenocarcinoma tissues and 12 normal mucosa specimens were included in the study. The expression of HIF-la, MMP-2 and E-cadherin protein were detected by using immunohistochemistry. Clinico-pathological factors associated with expression of HIF-la, MMP-2, and E-cadherin were analyzed using the x[2] test. Survival curves were plotted according to the Kaplan-Meier method. HIF-la, MMP-2, and E-cadherin protein expression Results: HIF-la, MMP-2, and E-cadherin proteins were expressed in 65.9%, 71.6%, and 28.4% of rectal cancer tissues, respectively. However, HIF-la and MMP-2 proteins were not expressed, but E-cadherin protein was strongly expressed in 12 normal tissue samples. Altered HIF-la and MMP-2 protein expression was associated with lymph node and distant metastases and Duke's classification, while loss of E-cadherin protein expression was associated with tumor de-differentiation and lymph node and distant metastases. Combining these three markers together, the association was even more significant. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that HIF-la and MMP-2 protein expression but loss of E-cadherin protein expression significantly contributed to poor overall patient survival. Altered HIF-la, MMP-2, and E-cadherin protein expression significantly contributed to the progression of rectal carcinoma and poorer patient survival