Affiliations: [a] Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University-Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran | [b] Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran | [c] Immunology Research Center, BuAli Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran | [d] Medical Genetics Research Center, Medical School, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran | [e] Pathology Department, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Mehran Gholamin. Division of Human Genetics, Immunology Research Center, BuAli Research Institute, University of Medical Sciences, Bu-Ali Sq, Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad 9196773117, Iran. Tel.: +98 51 37112343; Fax: +98 51 37112343; E-mail:GholaminM@mums.ac.ir
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) can degrade essentially the extracellular
matrix (ECM) components. MMPs are important regulators of tumor growth;
hence the enzymes are considered as important targets for cancer therapy.
MMP-13 is specially activated in gastric cancer and promotes the invasiveness of
the primary tumors. Helicobacter Pylori (H.pylori) interacts with gastric epithelial
cells and stimulates it to produce MMP-13 in vitro. OBJECTIVE: The relation between MMP-13 gene expression and clinicopathological characteristics
of gastric cancer in the presence of H.pylori infection was investigated in fifty
patients. METHODS: The level of MMP-13 gene expression was measured by quantitative Real-time PCR
method and was evaluated between two groups of normal and carcinomatous tissues. RESULTS: The results showed 30% elevation of MMP-13 expression in tumor tissues.
H.pylori infection did not have a significant effect on the expression of MMP-13. There
was a correlation between gene expression and tumor type (P value = 0.032). In
addition, there was a significant correlation between MMP-13 gene expression and
tumor stage in intestinal group (P value = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, it might be concluded that in intestinal group, immune
system plays an important role in reducing gene expression. Results also
showed over expression (60%) in diffuse group. These findings suggest
that using MMP-13 inhibitors in diffuse group might contribute to the control of
tumor growth.
