9, 10-dimethyl-1, 2-benzanthracene (DMBA) 誘発ハムスター頬嚢粘膜癌の発癌過程におけるマトリックスメタロプロテアーゼ発現に関する研究

抄録

The purpose of this study was to investigate expression of matrix metalloproteinase activities (MMP-2 and -9) during DMBA-induced carcinogenesis of hamster buccal pouch, as well as in biopsy specimens of oral leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma. In buccal mucosa of hamsters, there was no significant increase in MMP-2 activity during the development of DMBA-induced carcinomas as compared with normal mucosa. In contrast, there was a significant increase in MMP-9 activity during the development of carcinomas. In addition, the increase in the MMP-9 activity was seen as the size of the carcinomas increased. The expressions of these matrix metalloproteinases were observed in epithelial cells and stroma cells according to a microdissection study. On the other hand, elevated levels of MMP-9 were also observed in squamous cell carcinomas in comparison with oral leukoplakia using zymography and immunohistochemistry.
The results suggested that the expression of MMP-9 might be one of the positive markers for malignant potential of oral premalignant lesion.