The Association of MMP-8 Genotypes with Pterygium.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Pterygium is composed of proliferating fibrovascular tissue, and its formation and progression are closely related to the homeostasis of the extracellular microenvironment. However, few studies have examined the contribution of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) to either diagnostic or prognostic potential in pterygium. In this study, we investigated the contribution of a polymorphism in the promoter region of MMP-8 (-799C/T) and two non-synonymous polymorphisms (Val436Ala and Lys460Thr) to pterygium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 134 patients with pterygium and 268 non-cancer controls patients were collected and the MMP-8 -799C/T, Val436Ala and Lys460Thr polymorphic genotypes of each subject were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: The results showed that the three polymorphisms investigated were not significantly associated with risk of pterygium. In addition, the stratified analysis showed that there was no interaction between MMP-8 genotype with age or gender on pterygium risk determination. CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms at MMP-8 -799C/T, Val436Ala and Lys460Thr may not mainly contribute to determining personal susceptibility to pterygium in the Taiwanese examined.

Contribution of matrix metalloproteinases-1 genotypes to gastric cancer susceptibility in Taiwan.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1), an interstitial collagenase regulating the extracellular matrix, plays a major role in carcinogenesis of gastric cancer, a leading cause of death worldwide. In literature, the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) promoter -1607 1G/2G (rs1799750) at the MMP1 gene promoter has been reported to alter its own transcription level. While the importance's of the genotype of MMP1 promoter -1607 has not yet been studied in gastric cancer in Taiwan, our aim was to investigate MMP1 promoter -1607 genotypes and gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility in central Taiwan population. In the current hospital-based case-control study, the contribution of MMP1 promoter -1607 genotypes to GC risk was investigated among 121 GC patients and 363 gender- and age-matched healthy controls recruited and genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology. We found that the genotypic and allelic frequencies were not differentially distributed between GC patient and control groups. The variant 1G containing genotypes have interactions with cigarrete smoking behaviors and Helicobacter pylori infection status, but not alcoholism on GC susceptibility determination. Our findings suggest that the variant 1G allele on MMP1 promoter -1607 may contribute to GC carcinogenesis and may be useful for GC early detection and prevention when combined with cigarrete smoking behaviors and Helicobacter pylori infection status.