AIM： To determine the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and to investigate the relationship between iNOS and MMP-9 ex...AIM： To determine the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and to investigate the relationship between iNOS and MMP-9 expression and their effects on angiogenesis and progression of HCC.METHODS： In this study, we examined iNOS, MMP-9, and CD34 expression in specimens surgically removed from 32 HCC patients and 7 normal liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Meanwhile, microvessel density （MVD） was determined as a marker of angiogenesis by counting CD34-positive cells. RESULTS： The positive rates of iNOS and MMP-9 expression were 71.88% （23/32） and 78.13% （25/32） in HCC. MMP-9 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, capsule status, TNM stage, and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.032, P= 0.033, P= 0.007, and P= 0.001, respectively）. There was also a significant relationship between iNOS expression and capsule status and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.049 and P = 0.004, respectively）, but no correlation between iNOS expression and tumor size and TNM stage. There was a positive association between MVD and TNM stage and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.037 and P = 0.000, respectively）. The count of MVD was significantly different in different iNOS and MMP-9 immunoreactivity groups （F= 17.713 and 17.097, P= 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively）. The examination of Spearman＇s rank correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant positive correlation between MVD and iNOS, MMP-9 immunoreactivity （r = 0.754 and 0.751, P= 0.000 and P=-0.000, respectively）. There was also a significant association between MMP-9 and iNOS expression in HCC （P = 0.010）. CONCLUSION： Nitric oxide （NO） produced by iNOS could modulate MMP-9 production and therefore contribute totumor cell angiogenesis and invasion and metastasis in HCC. The strong expression of iNOS and MMP-9 in HCC may be helpful in evaluating the recurrence of HCC, predicting poor prognosis. For patients with strong expression of MMP-9 and iNOS, the optimal treatment scheme needs to be selected.展开更多
文摘AIM： To determine the expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9） in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and to investigate the relationship between iNOS and MMP-9 expression and their effects on angiogenesis and progression of HCC.METHODS： In this study, we examined iNOS, MMP-9, and CD34 expression in specimens surgically removed from 32 HCC patients and 7 normal liver tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Meanwhile, microvessel density （MVD） was determined as a marker of angiogenesis by counting CD34-positive cells. RESULTS： The positive rates of iNOS and MMP-9 expression were 71.88% （23/32） and 78.13% （25/32） in HCC. MMP-9 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, capsule status, TNM stage, and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.032, P= 0.033, P= 0.007, and P= 0.001, respectively）. There was also a significant relationship between iNOS expression and capsule status and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.049 and P = 0.004, respectively）, but no correlation between iNOS expression and tumor size and TNM stage. There was a positive association between MVD and TNM stage and risk of HCC recurrence （P = 0.037 and P = 0.000, respectively）. The count of MVD was significantly different in different iNOS and MMP-9 immunoreactivity groups （F= 17.713 and 17.097, P= 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively）. The examination of Spearman＇s rank correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant positive correlation between MVD and iNOS, MMP-9 immunoreactivity （r = 0.754 and 0.751, P= 0.000 and P=-0.000, respectively）. There was also a significant association between MMP-9 and iNOS expression in HCC （P = 0.010）. CONCLUSION： Nitric oxide （NO） produced by iNOS could modulate MMP-9 production and therefore contribute totumor cell angiogenesis and invasion and metastasis in HCC. The strong expression of iNOS and MMP-9 in HCC may be helpful in evaluating the recurrence of HCC, predicting poor prognosis. For patients with strong expression of MMP-9 and iNOS, the optimal treatment scheme needs to be selected.
