E1AF expression is closely correlated with malignant phenotype of tongue squamous cell carcinoma through activation of MT1-MMP gene promoters.

E1AF is an ets-oncogene family transcription factor that has been shown to up-regulate multiple MMPs whereas MMP-2, a potent extracellular matrix degrading enzyme, is not up-regulated. We investigated the activation mechanism of MMP-2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay was utilized to investigate whether E1AF is able to up-regulate membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), which is known to activate MMP-2. Expression of the CAT reporter gene under the control of the MT1-MMP promoter was increased approximately 40-fold by co-transfection with the E1AF expression vector. Real-time RT-PCR study was carried out in 25 patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma, and the mRNA expression level of E1AF and MT1-MMP was synergistically increased. These results indicate that E1AF positively regulates transcription from MT1-MMP genes, which plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue by converting pro-MMP-2 into active-MMP-2.