Gelatinolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and-9 in oesophageal carcinoma; a study using in situ zymography

in this study, we investigated the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MM P)-2 and -9 by gelatine zymography, immunostaining and in situ gelatine zym ography in 30 oesophageal squamous-cell carcinomas. The gelatinolytic activ ity in situ was detected in all cases with different patterns of localisati on. Significant gelatinolysis by stromal cells adjacent to tumour nests was found in 12 cases. Strong gelatinolytic activity appeared within the tumou r nest itself in 13 cases. In the other 5 cases, both stromal cells and tum our cells showed the gelatinolytic activity. Gelatine zymography demonstrat ed a correlation between vascular invasion and activation of MMP-9. It also demonstrated a correlation between lymph node metastasis, lymphatic or vas cular invasion and activation of MMP-2. These results suggest that MMPs pla y an important role in the invasion of oesophageal carcinoma. (C) 2000 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.