The roles of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in neuroblastoma

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the levels and clinical significance of MMP-2, MMP-9, and the inhibitors TIM P-1 and TIM P-2 in patients with neuroblastoma (NB). Methods: The levels of MMP-2, M MP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 in paraffin pathological sections of NB tissues obtained by surgical resection or biopsy were determined using immunohistochemical methods. Results: (1) The positive, weak positive, and strong positive rates of the MMP2 expressions were 82.86%, 27.59%, and 72.41%, and the corresponding rates of MMP-9 expression were 84.29%, 28.81%, and 71.19%; (2) The strong positive rates of the MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions in patients with early stage NB were 16.00% and 32.00%, but in patients with advanced stage NB, the rates were 84.44% and 75.56% (P<0.05); (3) The positive, weak positive, and strong positive rates of TIMP-2 expression were 80.00%, 32.14%, and 67.86%. As for the TIMP-1 expression, the corresponding rates were 65.71%, 26.09% and 73.91%. In patients with advanced NB, the strong positive rates of the TIMP-2 and TIMP-1 expressions were 44.44% and 40%. There was a significant difference in the strong positive rates of TIMP-2 expression between the early and advanced stages (P<0.05), but the TIMP-1 expressions showed no significant differences. Conclusion: The positive expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and MMP-2 are correlated with NB progression and prognosis, demonstrating that these indicators can be regarded as biomarkers for the outcome of NB.