# MMP-2—Potential Predictor of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Squamous Cell Carcinogenesis

## TL;DR

This study explores how MMP-2 activity might help predict early signs of skin cancer development.

## Contribution

The study identifies a novel role for MMP-2 in predicting epithelial–mesenchymal transition during early skin carcinogenesis.

## Key findings

- MMP-2 expression is higher in actinic keratosis compared to normal tissues and other lesions.
- MMP-2 activity decreases with increasing histopathological dysplasia.
- Monitoring MMP-2 could improve detection of malignant transformation.

## Abstract

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the key steps in cutaneous carcinogenesis. At the molecular level, this cellular dedifferentiation is modulated by the interaction of signalling pathways that favour basement membrane degradation under the influence of proinflammatory cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Given the intricate role of these endopeptidases in modulating extracellular matrix turnover, the present study aimed primarily to identify the MMP-2 expression profile during the early stages of cutaneous malignant transformation. Forty-eight lesions with malignant transformation potential were excised in healthy tissue. Following the histopathological diagnosis of keratoacanthoma, Bowen’s disease and actinic keratosis, the biological preparations were deparaffinised and homogenised in order to perform the FRET technique using the “MMP-2 Assay Kit Fluorometric”. The results of the previous part of this research indicate that MMP-2 expression is more intense in lesions of actinic keratosis compared to normal tissues and to keratoacanthoma or Bowen’s disease lesions, inversely proportional to the histopathological degree of dysplasia. Monitoring metalloproteinase activity in dysplastic epithelium may improve the detection of malignant transformation and guide treatment decisions.