Matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 expression correlated with cavernous sinus invasion of pituitary adenomas

Object: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and 9 are important for tissue breakdown in the process of tumor invasion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MIB-1 LI and cavernous sinus invasion in pituitary adenomas. Methods: Tissue samples from 54 patients with pituitary adenomas were studied. Expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MIB-1 labeling index (LI) were evaluated by immunohistochemical method. In sixteen cases, the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 mRNA was also examined by RT-PCR assay. Results: Thirty-four patients were women and 20 were men, with a mean age of 49.9 years old (range 18-76 years). There were 12 cases with cavernous sinus invasion, and 42 were noninvasive cases. MMP-2 and MMP-9 score of invasive case (3.9. 0.5,4.1. 0.4) were significantly higher than those (2.3. 0.2; p. 0.01; 2.6. 0.2; p. 0.01) without invasion. The MIB-1 LI of this study presented no significantly difference between the invasive and noninvasive pituitary adenomas. The percentage of MMP-2 mRNA/. -actin mRNA and MMP-9 mRNA/. -actin mRNA were also observed significantly higher in invasive pituitary adenomas (68.2. 15.3%; 59.7. 12.5%) than noninvasive pituitary adenomas (21.8. 8.2%, p. 0.05; 33.3. 5.4%, p. 0.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may have a value to assess the invasive pituitary adenomas, and proliferation and invasion of pituitary adenomas may present a different mechanism.