MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-1 AND MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-3, TISSUE INHIBITOR OF METALLOPROTEINASE-1 AND THE COMPLEX OF METALLOPROTEINASE-1 TISSUE INHIBITOR IN PLASMA OF PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE-CANCER

We analyzed blood plasma concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -3 (MMP-1; MMP-3), the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TI MP-1) and the complex MMP-1/TIMP-1, and looked for any correlation wit h prostate cancer stage. These components were measured by ELISA tests specific for these proteins in healthy male controls (n = 35), and in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH; n = 29), with prosta te cancer (PCa) without metastasis (T2,3pN0M0; n = 29) and with PCa wi th metastatic disease (T2,3,4pN1,2M1; n = 18). Mean values of MMP-1 an d of the complex MMP-1/TIMP-1 were not different among the 4 groups st udied. The mean MMP-3 and especially TIMP-1 concentrations were signif icantly higher in PCa patients with metastases compared with controls, BPH and PCa patients without metastases. Ten of these 18 patients had TIMP-1 concentrations higher than the upper reference limit. TIMP-1 c oncentrations were correlated with staging but not with grading. Our r esults point towards plasma TIMP-1 concentration as a potential marker of malignant progression of PCa. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.