MMP-1/2 and TIMP-1/2 expression levels, and the levels of collagenous and elastic fibers correlate with disease progression in a hamster model of tongue cancer

In the present study, the presence of extracellular matrix components, including collagenous and elastic fibers, and the expression of their key regulating enzymes, were investigated in different stages of hamster tongue carcinoma development. Immunohistochemical and computer-assisted morphological analyses were performed to quantify the staining intensity and area (integral optical density) of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and −2, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and −2, and the extent of elastic and collagenous fibers in histological sections. MMP-1, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 expression levels gradually increased with tongue cancer progression, and were associated with disease pathology staging (r=0.705, 0.633, 0.759 and 0.751, respectively). By contrast, elastic fiber levels gradually decreased with cancer progression and were negatively correlated with disease staging (r=-0.881). The levels of collagenous fibers gradually increased with cancer progression and showed a positive correlation (r=0.619). In summary, the study demonstrated that MMP1/2 and TIMP1/2 expression levels, and collagenous and elastic fiber levels were significantly correlated with disease progression in a hamster model of tongue cancer.