Analysis of Expression and Prognosis Value for Matrix Metalloproteinases in Human Colorectal Carcinoma

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of endogenous proteases are implicated in the progression of several cancer types. Previous studies report that MMPs participate in tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer. However, the aberrant expression of MMP members and their roles in the prognosis of colorectal cancer has not been explored. Methods: This study sought to explore differentially expressed genes and compared the transcriptional expression with survival data of MMPs in colorectal cancer (CRC) samples using Oncomine, cBioPortal databases, GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis), and Kaplan-Meier Plotter online tools. Results: MMP1,3,7,9,11,12 and 28 showed high expression levels in CRC tissues, but only expression of MMP11 and 12 were correlated with advanced tumor stages. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that MMP1,3,7,9,11 and 28 are potential targets for the effective treatment of individuals with CRC, while MMP9 and 12 are promising novel prognostic signatures of CRC.