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S Zucker

Publications and source records attributed to S Zucker.

125 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of a connective tissue degrading metalloproteinase from human small cell lung cancer cells.

In this report we describe the isolation and characterization of a neutral metalloproteinase, from human small cell lung cancer cells, which degrades a wide range of connective tissue proteins. Treatment of tumor cytosol by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by zinc chelated column chromatography, anion exchange chromatography, and gel filtration chromatography yielded a single enzymatically active protein, which on SDS-PAGE appeared as a diffuse band of 65,000-70,000 daltons. The tumor metalloproteinase, which was inhibited by metal chelators and serum, was able to digest gelatin, type I collagen, type IV collagen, laminin, and fibronectin. We propose that the capacity of this proteinase to degrade both components of blood vessel basement membranes and other connective tissue matrices facilitates the dissemination of human lung cancer cells during the multistep process of metastasis.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Type IV collagenase/gelatinase (MMP-2) is not increased in plasma of patients with cancer.

We have developed a sensitive and specific sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect M(r) 72,000 type IV collagenase [matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2)] in human plasma. As a result of the linkage between MMP-2 production by cancer cells and the metastatic phenotype, we undertook this study to compare plasma MMP-2 levels in healthy individuals, patients with various types of cancer, and hospitalized patients with chronic diseases other than cancer. The results demonstrate that MMP-2 levels are not increased in cancer patients regardless of the extent of disseminated malignancy. In an effort to explain this data, we compared MMP-2 secretion by human umbilical vein endothelial cells and lung cancer cells passaged as cell lines. Endothelial cells secreted higher levels of MMP-2 than did lung cancer cells propagated in vitro. We propose that blood vessel lining cells make a sizable contribution to plasma levels of MMP-2 and may thereby obfuscate the detection of increased levels of MMP-2 originating from extravascular sources such as solid tumors.

Adult↗