THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-9 IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA

Abstract

In the past decade, a lot of effort has been put for identifying the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in cancer. The main role of MMP-9 in angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastasis is degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM).

The objective of this study was to find out changes in plasma levels of

MMP-9 in children with acute leukemia.

The study was carried out on 30 children with acute leukemia (18 acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 12 acute myeloid leukemia), and 20 healthy children .as a control group. They were subjected to investigations: CBC, total lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, total and tartarated acid phosphatase.

Serum MMP-9 was assayed by ELISA.

Our results showed that the levels of MMP-9 and other enzymes were significantly higher in patients with ALL and AML as compared to the control group (P <0.05). There was significant positive correlation between MMP-9 with other enzymes and also with blast cells (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The serum MMP-9 levels significantly increased m children with acute leukemia, and correlated positively with other enzymes and number of blast cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow.