Objective To summarize the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Methods Domestic and international publications online involving MMPs of gastric cancer in recent years were collected and reviewed. Results The occurrence and development of gastric cancer was a multi-step and multi-factorial complicated progress, whose etiology and pathogenesis were still unclarified. MMPs were a class of proteolytic enzymes, which played an important role in the proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis of gastric cancer and apoptosis of tumor cells and their surrounding normal cells by regulating the microenvironment of the growth of tumor. Conclusion MMPs promote the evolution of gastric cancer in variable ways, the mechanisms of which should be comprehended to provide a theoretical basis for the future treatment of gastric cancer.
Objective To study the expressions of Wnt5a, MMP2, and MMP14 in the primary lesions of gastric cancer and the influences on clinicopathologic features. Methods The expressions of Wnt5a, MMP2, and MMP14 in the specimens of 106 patients with gastric cancer and 39 patients from the adjacent normal gastric tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining, χ2 test and non-parametric test were used to analyze the relationships among them and between them and their influences on the clinicopathologic features. Results Extensive expressions of Wnt5a, MMP2, and MMP14 were demonstrated in the gastric cancer, which were significantly higher than those in the normal gastric tissues respectively (Plt;0.05). Positive expression of Wnt5a was associated with larger tumor diameter, deeper depth of invasion, higher degree of regional lymph node metastasis, later TNM stage, and higher rate of lymph node metastasis (Plt;0.05). In addition, Wnt5a expression was also associated with lymphatic infiltration and vascular infiltration (Plt;0.05). The expressions of MMP2 and MMP14 were associated with lymphatic infiltration, but not with vascular infiltration. Higher expressions of MMP2 and MMP14 were correlated with deeper tumor invasion, higher degree of regional lymph node metastasis, later TNM stage, and higher rate of lymph node metastasis (Plt;0.05). In addition, higher expression of MMP2 possesed greater tumor diameter (Plt;0.05). Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed the positive relation between Wnt5a and MMP2 （rs=0.240, P=0.014）, Wnt5a and MMP14 （rs=0.251, P=0.010）, as well as MMP2 and MMP14 （rs=0.444, P=0.000）. Conclusion Higher expressions of Wnt5a, MMP2, and MMP14 seem to promote invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer, and there are positive relations among their expressions.