The expression of mmp-7 messenger-RNA in primary and metastatic human colorectal adenocarcinoma

MMP-7 mRNA expression was examined by RT-PCR and Southern blot hybridisation following cDNA synthesis of extracted tissue RNA in a total of 33 colorectal cancer patients. Expression was studied in tumour tissues and compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. MMP-7 mRNA was detected in all tumour samples, with no qualitative difference between primary and metastatic tumours and there was no relation to Dukes' clinical stage. Adjacent nonneoplastic colon and rectum (65%) and liver (100%) also expressed MMP-7, although the signal intensity was weaker. In contrast, only 31% of adjacent non-neoplastic lymph nodes expressed MMP-7. The results suggest that MMP-7 is probably expressed early in the neoplastic transformation in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.