RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to immunohistochemically evaluate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP- 2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, TIMP-2, and podoplanin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Immunohistochemical staining of podoplanin-positive lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was also assessed. STUDY DESIGN: Forty cases of OSCC were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: MMP-2, MMP-10, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and podoplanin were detected in each of the 40 OSCC cases. The expression of MMP-2 was significantly correlated with histologic grade. The expression of podoplanin was positively correlated with gender and negatively correlated with tumor size. A significant positive correlation was also detected between LVD and the presence of lymph node metastases, gender, age, and diameter of the lymph node (if involved), as well as histologic grade. CONCLUSIONS: The results are suggestive of important roles that MMP-2, MMP-10, TIMP-2, and podoplanin play in pathologic processes of OSCC, including invasion. Our findings also suggest that LVD may play a role in lymphatic metastasis and tumor progression.
