关键词: 明胶酶A, 基质金属蛋白酶抑制剂, 新生血管化, 病理性, 微血管密度

Abstract: Objective To study the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and its tissue inhibitor-2 (TIMP-2) and microvessel density (MVD) in human endometrial carcinoma tissues and their relations with the invasion a nd metastasis of endometrial carcinoma. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the MMP-2, TIMP-2, and MVD protein levels in 33 patients with endometrial carcinoma and 8 normal endometrial samples. Results The MMP-2, TIMP-2 and MVD protein expressed in both normal endometrial samples and endometrial carcinoma. The positive expression proportions of MMP-2, TIMP-2, and MVD protein in endometrial carcinoma tissues we re higher than those in normal endometrial samples (P<0.05),but they did not show different expression with the histologic grade (G₁,G₂ and G₃). Semi-quantitative analysis revealed MMP-2 staining scores in tumor cells were significantly associated with the presence of surgical pathologic staging (P<0.05),while TIMP-2 staining scores in tumor cells were significantly associated with the depth of myometrial invasion (P<0.05). MVD staining scores in tumor cells were also significantly associated with the depth of m yometrial invasion (P<0.05) . But these factors had no significant association with the presence of lymph node metastasis. Conclusion The expression maladjustment between MMP-2 and TIMP-2 may accelerate the tumor invasion and metastasis; the increasing expression of MVD in tumor cells may be associated with the depth of myometrial invasion, which suggests that angiogenesis plays an important role in invasion and metasta sis of endometrial carcinoma.

Key words: gelatinase A, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, neovascularization, pathologic, microvascular density