The present study aimed to investigate the association between matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and early gastric cancer (EGC), while also evaluating the effect of MMP-1 on gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration. Transcriptome RNA sequencing and database analysis were conducted to assess the relationship between MMP-1 expression and EGC. Differences in MMP-1 expression between clinical EGC samples and paracancerous tissues were detected using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In N87 gastric cancer cells, changes in proliferation- and migration-related indicator expression were determined. Gene sequencing revealed differential expression of MMP-1 in early and advanced gastric cancers. Furthermore, enhanced MMP-1 expression was observed in early and advanced gastric cancer tissues, exhibiting a positive correlation with the malignant phenotype in gastric cancer cell lines. Fluorescence quantitative PCR revealed considerably higher MMP-1 expression in EGC tissues than in paracancerous tissues. CCK8 and EdU assays demonstrated a significant increase in N87 cell proliferation on MMP-1 upregulation and a decrease on its downregulation. The scratch assay results demonstrated a corresponding enhancement in N87 cell migratory capacity with MMP-1 upregulation, which was attenuated on its downregulation. Western blot experiments revealed a decrease in the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related protein E-cadherin after MMP-1 upregulation, while vimentin expression significantly increased. Conversely, the downregulation of MMP-1 led to opposite outcomes. Overall, MMP-1 emerges as a potential biomarker for EGC diagnosis and plays a crucial role in the regulation of N87 gastric cancer cell proliferation and migration.

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