Matrix metalloproteinase [
MMP]-2 and
tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase [TIMP]-2 are emerging as pivotal players in
inflammation and
carcinogenesis. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of MMP-2 (-735C > T) [rs 2285053] and
TIMP-2 (-418G > C) [rs 8179090] gene polymorphisms in
cervical cancer susceptibility in Indian women. We recruited 200
cervical cancer patients from North India and 200 unrelated, age-matched,
cancer-free healthy female controls of similar ethnicity. Genomic
DNA extraction from peripheral blood samples, collected from the study subjects, was carried out using salting-out method. MMP-2 and
TIMP-2 genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism. Our findings demonstrated no significant association between MMP-2 (-735C > T) and
TIMP-2 (-418G > C) gene polymorphisms and the risk of developing
cervical cancer in the study population. Further stratified analysis using a case-only study approach revealed that there was no effect of
MMP-2/TIMP-2 polymorphisms on early and advanced stages of
cervical cancer. Further MMP-2 and
TIMP-2 polymorphisms did not modulate the risk in
cervical cancer patients who smoked tobacco/cigarettes. Overall, the present study demonstrated a lack of association between MMP-2 and
TIMP-2 gene polymorphisms and
cervical cancer susceptibility in women of Northern India.