Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) plays a critical role in the progression of
malignancies by stimulating expression of
metalloproteinases (
MMPs) and
vascular endothelial growth factor (
VEGF) in stromal cells. However, the expression of
EMMPRIN in
adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of salivary glands, and its correlation with patients' prognosis have never been investigated thus far. In the present study, the expression of
EMMPRIN was examined in 72 ACCs and 20 normal salivary gland tissues by immunohistochemistry. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9,
VEGF, Ki-67 index, and microvessel density (MVD) labeled by CD31 were also assessed by immunohistochemistry in ACCs. The positivity of
EMMPRIN in ACCs was 62.5%, which was significantly higher than that in normal salivary gland tissues (P<0.01).
EMMPRIN expression was positively correlated with
tumor size, histotypes, clinical stage, perineural invasion, vascular invasion,
metastasis, expression of MMP-2, MMP-9,
VEGF, Ki-67 index, and MVD (P<0.05), but not with gender, age,
tumor site or recurrence (P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that
EMMPRIN expression, Ki-67 index, and solid histotype had an independent prognostic effect on overall survival (P<0.05). According to our findings,
EMMPRIN might actively be involved in the growth, angiogenesis, invasion and
metastasis of ACCs. Measurement of
EMMPRIN may be helpful in predicting patients' prognosis and understanding the malignant behaviors of ACCs.