Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in Meningioma

Background: Meningioma is one of the most common tumors of the central nervous system. It was shown that meningioma had up-regulated expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) that involved in cell growth, angiogenesis and metastasis.&nbsp; Objectives: The aim of the study was the assessment of serum MMP-2 and -9 levels in patients with different grades of meningioma.&nbsp; Materials & Methods: The study included the number of 66 normal control and 101 patients with different grades of meningioma (42 cases of grade I, 38 grade II and 21 grade III). The serum samples was recruited between March 2013 and August 2017 at the Departments of neurology and neurosurgery, in an academic hospital affiliated to Guilan University of Medical Sciences, in the north of Iran. MMP-2 and -9 levels determined by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). All data presented are expressed as mean&plusmn;Standard Error of the Mean (SEM). Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA by SPSS software, version: 24.0 and only values with P&le;0.05 were considered as significant&nbsp; Results: We showed that the level of MMP-2 and -9 in the serum samples of patients with meningioma was higher than in controls (P<0.01). We also showed that all serum samples from patients and controls, presented MMP-2 and -9 expression, whereas, starting from grades I to III meningioma, a significant increase of MMP-2 and -9 protein expression was observed (P<0.05).&nbsp; Conclusion: It is concluded that MMP-2 and -9 are a constant composition of human serum. It is also concluded that MMP-2 and -9 might be involved in the pathophysiology of meningioma and their detection in serum may be useful in classifying meningioma.