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Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression in Normal Skin Associated With Basal Cell Carcinoma and in Distal Skin From the Same Patients
Nathan Monhian, MD;
Brian S. Jewett, MD;
Shan R. Baker, MD;
James Varani, PhD
Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2005;7:238-243.
Objective To obviate the difficulty of ruling out confounding variables (eg, age, individual variability) as the source of differences seen when comparing tumor tissue and control tissue from unrelated individuals, we examined the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 (interstitial collagenase) and MMP-9 (92-kDa gelatinase B) in histologically normal skin immediately adjacent to basal cell carcinomas (peritumoral tissue) after Mohs micrographic surgery and postauricular skin from the same patients.
Design Peritumoral and postauricular skin samples were obtained from 17 patients undergoing Mohs surgery. Expression of MMP-1 and MMP-9 was examined in these specimens using a combination of approaches including zymography, collagen-degradation assays, and immunohistology.
Results The expression levels of MMP-1 and MMP-9 were consistently elevated in the peritumoral tissue compared with skin from the distal site.
Conclusion This finding indicates that even when potentially important variables such as age and individual variability are controlled for, tumor-specific effects on the expression of MMP-9 and MMP-1 remain.
Author Affiliations: Departments of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (Drs Monhian, Jewett, and Baker) and Pathology (Dr Varani), University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Dr Monhian is now with the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, North Shore–LIJ Health Systems, Great Neck, NY. Dr Jewett is now with the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Fla. Dr Baker is now with the University of Michigan Health Centers, Center for Cosmetic Surgery, Livonia.
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