“…Matrilysin (MMP-7) is a member of the MMP gene family, and has proteolytic activity against a wide spectrum of substrates such as collagens, proteoglycans, elastin, laminin, fibronectin and casein (Woessner and Taplin, 1988;Miyazaki et al, 1990;Wilson and Matrisian, 1996). It is produced by malignant tumour cells such as oesophageal, gastric, colorectal, head and neck, lung, prostate and hepatocellular carcinomas (Yamamoto et al, 1997;Adachi et al, 1998;Yamashita et al, 1998;Adachi et al, 1999;Babletz et al, 1999;Yamamoto et al, 1999). Immunohistochemical studies have shown that the expression of matrilysin correlates significantly with nodal or distant metastasis in gastric and colorectal carcinomas (Adachi et al, 1998Yamashita et al, 1998).…”