Matrix metalloproteinase 7 is associated with clinical and pathological characteristics of salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) expression and the clinical and pathological characteristics of salivary adenoid cystic carcinomas (SACC) of the palatal minor salivary gland.

METHODS

In this study, 58 samples of SACC and 10 samples of normal salivary gland tissue were examined. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect MMP-7 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression in SACC and normal tissues. The clinical and pathological characteristics of the patients with SACC were collected.

RESULTS

Of the 58 SACC samples, 44 were positive for MMP-7, and the expression rate was 75.9%. No expression was detected in the 10 normal salivary gland tissues. The level of MMP-7 expression in the SACC and normal samples was significantly different. The level of expression of MMP-7 in the SACC samples did not correlate with age, sex or pathological type but did correlate with pathological grade, nerve infiltration and clinical stage. There was a positive correlation between VEGF-A and MMP-7 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

The SACC samples showed high expression of MMP-7, which was associated with tumour differentiation, invasiveness and clinical stage. The detection of MMP-7 positively correlated with the detection of VEGF-A in SACC.