Prognostic Significance of Extracellular Matrix Degrading Enzymes—Cathepsin L and Matrix Metalloproteases-2 [MMP-2] in Human Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

In the present study, we assessed the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) degrading proteases—cathepsin L and matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) in pancreatic cancer tissue and correlated their levels with clinicopathological parameters and survival. Both the proteases were expressed in the majority of the tumor tissues examined. Staining intensity of cathepsin L was significantly higher in the tumor stroma compared to tumor epithelium while MMP-2 staining showed no such difference. Both proteases showed correlation with some of the clinicopathological parameters but only cathepsin L expression in tumor epithelium predicted a poor prognosis for the disease.

Keywords: :

• Pancreatic cancer
• Prognostic studies
• Invasion and metastasis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi for financial support.