This pathway transcriptionally activated the matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene and promoted oral SCC cell proliferation and experimental metastasis in vivo.
Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-3 genes are associated with tumor cell invasion and metastasis with their promoter polymorphisms influencing the level of transcription.
The disease-free survival of patients with high levels of MMP-3 expression in their metastases (> or = 20% positive tumor cells, n = 14) was also significantly shorter compared to patients with lower levels of expression (n = 42) (median 5.1 vs. 14.0 months, p = 0.0294).