Several
matrix metalloproteinases (
MMPs) have been implicated in intestinal
inflammation, mucosal wound healing, and
cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to examine the cellular location and putative function of
MMP-19, MMP-26 (matrilysin-2), and MMP-28 (epilysin), in normal, inflammatory, and malignant conditions of the intestine. Peroperative tissue specimens from patients with
ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 16) and archival tissue samples of
ischemic colitis (n = 9),
Crohn's disease (n = 7), UC (n = 8),
colon cancer (n = 20), and healthy intestine (n = 5) were examined using immunohistochemical analyses with polyclonal
antibodies. Unlike many classical
MMPs,
MMP-19, MMP-26, and MMP-28 were all expressed in normal intestine. In
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),
MMP- 19 was expressed in nonmigrating enterocytes and shedding epithelium. MMP-26 was detected in migrating enterocytes, unlike MMP-28. In colon
carcinomas,
MMP-19 and MMP-28 expression was downregulated in
tumor epithelium. Staining for MMP-26 revealed a meshwork-like pattern between
cancer islets, which was absent from most dedifferentiated areas. Our results suggest that
MMP-19 is involved in epithelial proliferation and MMP-26 in enterocyte migration, while MMP-28 expression is not associated with inflammatory and destructive changes seen in IBD. In contrast to many previously characterized
MMPs,
MMP-19 and MMP-28 are downregulated during malignant transformation of the colon and may play a prominent role in tissue homeostasis.