Matrix metalloproteinase-2, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, and
tissue polypeptide-specific antigen expression in Egyptian patients with
cervical carcinoma: Relationship with prognosis
Affiliations: Biochemistry Department, Ain Shams Faculty of
Medicine, Cairo, Egypt | Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Ain Shams
Faculty of Medicine, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt | Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX,
USA
Note: [] Address for reprints, Manal M. Hassan, M.D., Ph.D., Department
of Gastrointestinal Medical, Unit 426, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Tel.: +1 713
792 2828; Fax: +1 713 745 1163; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of proteolytic enzymes
produced by both stromal and tumor cells, appear to have a key role in the
events leading to local invasion and metastasis by malignant neoplasms. In the
present study, we evaluated the role of MMP-2, squamous cell carcinoma antigen
(SCCA), and tissue polypeptide – specific antigen (TPS) in cervical neoplasia.
Using Western blotting and enzyme immunoassay (EIA), we analyzed 50 patients
with cervical carcinoma (CC) and 25 normal controls for expression of MMP-2 in
tissue cell lysates. We also quantified SCCA and TPS with microparticle
immunoassay and EIA, respectively. The results were correlated with human
papilloma virus (HPV) infection, clinicopathological findings, and disease
outcome. The cutoff point for each marker was estimated from receiver operating
characteristic curves. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate
the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each marker. MMP-2,
SCCA, and TPS protein expression were significantly higher in patients with CC
than in normal controls. While TPS was the best marker for discriminating
between patients and controls, MMP-2 was associated with an advanced tumor
stage (OR, 13.9 [95% CI, 1.4-133.9]) and poor histological grade (OR, 10.2
[95% CI, 1.7-60.5]). Moreover, independent of the effect of an advanced CC
stage and grade, the patients' age, and the presence of HPV infection, MMP-2
was considered a strong predictor for CC recurrence (OR, 8.1 [95% CI, 1.3-
49.1]). Tissue markers may be used to select high-risk patients for early
detection of and adjuvant therapy for recurrence. Our MMP-2 findings are
particularly relevant to the development of protease inhibitors as a new cancer
therapy approach.
