Objective: To identify the existence of the specific NMP in the human normal colon tissues and different differentiation of colon carcinoma

and try to study the association between changes of nuclear matrix protein and biological behaviar of colorectal colon carcinoma.Methods:Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used in the analysis of 12 matched human colon carcinomas and adjacent normal samples.MMP-9 and CB were detected by immunohistochemical SP method.Results: Analysis of multiple gels for each sample revealed that 5 proteins were present in tumor samples

but not in the matched normal colon tissues;and 3 proteins in normal colon tissues but not in the colon carcinomas.There were different NMPs in different types of colon carcinoma.One nuclear matrix protein(called N4) appeared in 9 moderate-well differentiational colon carcinomas without lymph node metastasis and in 12 normal colon tissues

but were absent in 3 poor differentiational colon carcinomas with lymph node metastasis.The result of immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of MMP-9 and CB in poor differentiational colon carcinoma which was lack of expression of NMP N4 was strongly positive

and was stronger than that in the moderate-well differentiational colon carcinomas which expressed NMP N4.Conclusion: The data suggests that there are colon carcinoma-specific NMPs.There are different NMPs in different types of colon carcinomas

and with or without lymph node metastasis.Colon carcinoma-specific NMPs may serve as the tumor markers of colon carcinoma in future.There is a relation between changes of nuclear matrix protein and lymph node metastasis of colorectal colon carcinoma;the changes of NMPs probably play a role in MMP-9 and CB expression of colon carcinoma.