Recent studies have found that in addition to promoting cellular invasion, overexpression of metalloproteinase -1 (MMP-1) is associated with the initial stages of cancer development. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), a transmembrane glycoprotein, has been reported to be highly expressed in tumor cells and induce production of MMPs from peritumor fibroblasts (PTFs) adjacent to the tumor cells. The expression of EMMPRIN in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was investigated in this study. It was found that EMMPRIN was expressed at the cell membrane throughout the entire lesion in tongue SCC. Immunofluorescence staining localized EMMPRIN to the cell membrane in a highly invasive tongue SCC cell line (Tca 8113). EMMPRIN mRNA was expressed at a high level in Tca 8113, whereas MMP-1 mRNA was expressed in PTF but harder to be detected in Tca 8113. Co-culture of Tca 8113 with PTF stimulated production of MMP-1. EMMPRIN was highly expressed in tongue SCC, and could induce local production of MMP-1. These data indicate that EMMPRIN might play an important role in tongue SCC progression and invasion.