Clinicohistopathological implications of MMP/VEGF expression in retinoblastoma: a combined meta-analysis and bioinformatics analysis

BACKGROUND: No in-depth systematic evidence is available for assessing retinoblastoma malignancy and eligibility for subsequent treatment. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and China Biology Medicine databases were searched, and 16 studies comprising 718 retinoblastoma patients were included. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and summary correlation coefficients (r) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in random-effects, fixed-effects or quality-effects models were calculated using Review Manager 5.3 and MetaXL. GO functional annotation and KEGG pathway analysis were performed using the GO and STRING databases. RESULTS: We observed significant associations between high levels of MMP-1 (OR, 4.21; 95% CI 1.86–9.54), MMP-2 (OR, 11.18; 95% CI 4.26–29.30), MMP-9 (OR, 10.41, 95% CI 4.26–25.47), and VEGF (OR, 8.09; 95% CI 4.03–16.20) with tumor invasion; high levels of MMP-1 (OR, 3.58; 95% CI 1.48–8.71), MMP-2 (OR, 2.96; 95% CI 1.32–6.64), MMP-9 (OR, 5.49; 95% CI 3.55–8.48) and VEGF (OR, 5.30; 95% CI 2.93–9.60) with poor differentiation; and overexpression of MMP-9 (OR, 5.17; 95% CI 2.85–9.38) with advanced clinical stages. Moreover, MMP-9 and VEGF expression were positively correlated (r, 0.61; 95% CI 0.38–0.77). Multiple GO terms were enriched associated with MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF, and they are closely associated with pathways, proteoglycans and microRNAs related to cancer. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF play important roles in the development and progression of retinoblastoma. High levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9 and VEGF are credible implications for increased malignancy, thus the need for more aggressive treatments. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-019-1975-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.