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PubMedDate not supplied

Matrix metalloproteinases and angiogenesis.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of enzymes that proteolytically degrade various components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Angiogenesis is the process of forming new blood vessels from existing ones and requires degradation of the vascular basement membrane and remodeling of the ECM in order to allow endothelial cells to migrate and invade into the surrounding tissue. MMPs participate in this remodeling of basement membranes and ECM. However, it has become clear that MMPs contribute more to angiogenesis than just degrading ECM components. Specific MMPs have been shown to enhance angiogenesis by helping to detach pericytes from vessels undergoing angiogenesis, by releasing ECM-bound angiogenic growth factors, by exposing cryptic proangiogenic integrin binding sites in the ECM, by generating promigratory ECM component fragments, and by cleaving endothelial cell-cell adhesions. MMPs can also contribute negatively to angiogenesis through the generation of endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors by proteolytic cleavage of certain collagen chains and plasminogen and by modulating cell receptor signaling by cleaving off their ligand-binding domains. A number of inhibitors of MMPs that show antiangiogenic activity are already in early stages of clinical trials, primarily to treat cancer and cancer-associated angiogenesis. However, because of the multiple effects of MMPs on angiogenesis, careful testing of these MMP inhibitors is necessary to show that these compounds do not actually enhance angiogenesis.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗
PubMed1995

Inhibition of angiogenesis and murine hemangioma growth by batimastat, a synthetic inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases.

BACKGROUND: The importance of matrix metalloproteinases in angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis is well known. However, little is known about the role of matrix metalloproteinases in the formation of hemangiomas and about the possible therapeutic use of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors in aggressive vascular tumors. PURPOSE: To study the role of matrix metalloproteinase in vascular tumors, we tested the antineoplastic activity of a synthetic inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, batimastat, on an experimental model of hemangioma, formed by murine endothelioma cells transformed by polyoma middle-T oncogene (eEnd.1). METHODS: The effect of batimastat was studied in vivo on the formation of hemorrhaging, cavernous hemangiomas by eEnd.1 endothelioma cells injected subcutaneously in nude mice and on the angiogenic response induced by an endothelioma cell supernatant embedded in a pellet of reconstituted basement membrane (Matrigel). The effect of batimastat was investigated in vitro on endothelial cell proliferation, motility, and invasion of a layer of Matrigel. RESULTS: Daily treatment with batimastat (30, 3, and 0.3 mg/kg at the site of eEnd.1 cell injection) inhibited tumor growth, with increased doubling time. The carboxamide derivative of batimastat, BB-374, a poor inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase activity, was less active in reducing hemangioma growth. Histologic analysis of treated tumors indicated a reduction in the size of blood-filled spaces and in hemorrhage. Batimastat also inhibited the angiogenic response induced by cultured eEnd.1 endothelioma cell supernatant embedded in a pellet of Matrigel. Batimastat significantly inhibited endothelial cell invasion in vitro through a layer of Matrigel, but it showed no direct cytotoxic activity. CONCLUSIONS: Batimastat reduces in vivo growth of experimental hemangiomas, most probably by blocking endothelial cell recruitment by the transformed cells or by interfering with cell organization in vascular structures. IMPLICATIONS: These results confirm the importance of matrix metalloproteinase in endothelial cell recruitment that occurs in angiogenesis and in the formation of vascular tumors and suggest a therapeutic potential for synthetic matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

2-Methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone-labeled gelatin zymography and reverse zymography: a rapid real-time method for quantification of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases.

Measurement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their specific tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) by the techniques of zymography and reverse zymography provide useful information regarding the status of matrix accumulation or breakdown. This report describes the use of 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)-furanone (MDPF), a fluorescent compound which can be used to label gelatin as a substrate for detection of the gelatin degrading MMP-2 and -9 by zymography. In addition, a modification of the zymographic technique by addition of excess MMPs enables the use of the MDPF-labeled gelatin substrate for the identification and quantification of TIMPs by reverse zymography. Both systems are real-time sensitive reliable quantification techniques, easily used for measurement of these MMPs and TIMPs in clinical, biological, and tissue culture samples.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Plasmin activates pro-matrix metalloproteinase-2 with a membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase-dependent mechanism.

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been implicated as a physiological activator of progelatinase A (MMP-2). We previously reported that plasmin treatment of cells results in proMMP-2 activation and increased type IV collagen degradation. Here, we analyzed the role of MT1-MMP in plasmin activation of MMP-2 using HT-1080 cells transfected with MT1-MMP sense or antisense cDNA. Control, vector-transfected cells that expressed endogenous MT1-MMP, and antisense cDNA transfectants with very low levels of MT1-MMP did not activate proMMP-2. Conversely, cells transfected with sense MT1-MMP cDNA expressed high MT1-MMP levels and processed proMMP-2 to 68/66-kDa intermediate activation products. Control cells and MT1-MMP transfectants had much higher levels of cell-associated MMP-2 than antisense cDNA transfectants. Addition of plasmin(ogen) to control or MT1-MMP-transfected cells generated active, 62-kDa MMP-2, but was ineffective with antisense cDNA transfectants. The effect of plasmin(ogen) was prevented by inhibitors of plasmin, but not by metalloproteinase inhibitors, implicating plasmin as a mechanism for proMMP-2 activation independent of the activity of MT1-MMP or other MMPs. Plasmin-mediated activation of proMMP-2 did not result from processing of proMT1-MMP and did not correlate with alpha(v)beta(3) integrin or TIMP-2 levels. Thus, plasmin can activate proMMP-2 only in the presence of MT1-MMP; however, this process does not require the catalytic activity of MT1-MMP.

DNA, Complementary↗
PubMed2006

[Involvement of matrix metalloproteinases in the regulation of myocardial extracellular matrix in patients with congestive heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, -3, and 9, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), fibronectin (FN), and tenascin-C (TN-C) in the myocardium, and their relationship with the myocardial remodeling and heart function in the patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: A few tissues of papillary muscles of left ventricle were taken from 39 patients with mitral insufficiency during mitral valve replacement, and from 8 organ donors who had died of accidents to undergo pathological examination and to detect the protein expression of MMP-2, -3, and 9, and TIMP-1 by immunoprecipitation and the expression of FN and TN-C by immunofluorescence test. Peripheral blood samples were collected from these 39 patients and 30 normal controls to examine the plasma MMPs and TIMP-1 by ELISA. RESULTS: Typical myocardial remodeling was seen in the myocardial tissues of the CHF patients. The plasma levels of MMP-2, -3, and -9 of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes II - IV were all significantly higher than those of the normal controls (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) with a tendency to increase with the deterioration of heart function, The plasma level of TIMP-1 of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes II - IV were all significantly higher than that of the normal controls (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) with a tendency to decrease with the deterioration of heart function. The protein expression levels of MMP-2, -3, and -9 in the myocardium of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes III - IV were all significantly higher than those of the normal controls (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) with a tendency to increase with the deterioration of heart function. The protein expression levels of TIMP-1 in the myocardium of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes III - IV were all significantly lower than that of the normal controls (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) with a tendency to decrease with the deterioration of heart function. The protein expression levels of FN in the myocardium of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes II - IV were all significantly lower than that of the normal controls (all P < 0.05) with a tendency to decrease with the deterioration of heart function. The protein expression levels of TN-C in the myocardium of the CHF patients in the cardiac function classes II - IV were all significantly higher than that of the normal controls (all P < 0.01) with a tendency to increase with the deterioration of heart function. CONCLUSION: The increasing expression of MMP-2, -3, and -9 and the decreasing expression of TIMP-1 contribute to the myocardial remodeling, thus changing the extracellular matrix in the myocardium tissue and leading to the development and progression of CHF.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Tumorigenic potential of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer.

Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), a glycoprotein present on the cancer cell plasma membrane, enhances fibroblast synthesis of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The demonstration that peritumoral fibroblasts synthesize most of the MMPs in human tumors rather than the cancer cells themselves has ignited interest in the role of EMMPRIN in tumor dissemination. In this report we have demonstrated a role for EMMPRIN in cancer progression. Human MDA-MB-436 breast cancer cells, which are tumorigenic but slow growing in vivo, were transfected with EMMPRIN cDNA and injected orthotopically into mammary tissue of female NCr nu/nu mice. Green fluorescent protein was used to visualize metastases. In three experiments, breast cancer cell clones transfected with EMMPRIN cDNA were considerably more tumorigenic and invasive than plasmid-transfected cancer cells. Increased gelatinase A and gelatinase B expression (demonstrated by in situ hybridization and gelatin substrate zymography) was demonstrated in EMMPRIN-enhanced tumors. In contrast to de novo breast cancers in humans, human tumors transplanted into mice elicited minimal stromal or inflammatory cell reactions. Based on these experimental studies and our previous demonstration that EMMPRIN is prominently displayed in human cancer tissue, we propose that EMMPRIN plays an important role in cancer progression by increasing synthesis of MMPs.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Characterization of the gene for human EMMPRIN, a tumor cell surface inducer of matrix metalloproteinases.

EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer) also known as CD147 and basigin, is a member of the immunoglobulin family that is present on the surface of tumor cells and stimulates nearby fibroblasts to synthesize matrix metalloproteinases. Using our EMMPRIN cDNA, we have isolated a cosmid clone that contains the human EMMPRIN gene. S1 analysis with a fragment of the gene clone and primer extension of the mRNA was performed to determine the transcription start site. PCR and sequence analysis have defined the exon/intron organization of the gene and show that it is highly conserved with the mouse EMMPRIN/basigin gene. About 950 bases of the 5'-flanking region were examined for transcription factor consensus binding sites, locating three SP1 sites and two AP2 sites. The transcription start site was found to be located in a CpG island. Elements in the proximal promoter region were conserved in the human and mouse genes.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2003

TIMP-2 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2) regulates MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2) activity in the extracellular environment after pro-MMP-2 activation by MT1 (membrane type 1)-MMP.

The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 has a crucial role in extracellular matrix degradation associated with cancer metastasis and angiogenesis. The latent form, pro-MMP-2, is activated on the cell surface by the membrane-tethered membrane type 1 (MT1)-MMP, in a process regulated by the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-2. A complex of active MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 binds pro-MMP-2 forming a ternary complex, which permits pro-MMP-2 activation by a TIMP-2-free neighbouring MT1-MMP. It remains unclear how MMP-2 activity in the pericellular space is regulated in the presence of TIMP-2. To address this question, the effect of TIMP-2 on MMP-2 activity in the extracellular space was investigated in live cells, and their isolated plasma membrane fractions, engineered to control the relative levels of MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 expression. We show that both free and inhibited MMP-2 is detected in the medium, and that the net MMP-2 activity correlates with the level of TIMP-2 expression. Studies to displace MT1-MMP-bound TIMP-2 in a purified system with active MMP-2 show minimal displacement of inhibitor, under the experimental conditions, due to the high affinity interaction between TIMP-2 and MT1-MMP. Thus inhibition of MMP-2 activity in the extracellular space is unlikely to result solely as a result of TIMP-2 dissociation from its complex with MT1-MMP. Consistently, immunoblot analyses of plasma membranes, and surface biotinylation experiments show that the level of surface association of TIMP-2 is independent of MT1-MMP expression. Thus low-affinity binding of TIMP-2 to sites distinct to MT1-MMP may have a role in regulating MMP-2 activity in the extracellular space generated by the ternary complex.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Decreased matrix degradation in diabetic nephropathy: effects of ACE inhibition on the expression and activities of matrix metalloproteinases.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Extracellular matrix accumulation is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Increased matrix synthesis has been well documented but the effects of diabetes on degradative pathways, particularly in the in vivo setting, have not been fully explored. Furthermore, the effect of renoprotective therapies on matrix accumulation through these pathways has not been examined. We investigated the degradative pathway of type IV collagen and the effects of ACE inhibition in experimental diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: Diabetes was induced in 16 rats by administrating streptozocin; 8 of the diabetic rats were allocated at random to receive the ACE inhibitor perindopril (2 mg/l) in their drinking water and 8 age and weight matched rats served as controls. Gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase ( MMP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ( TIMP) was measured by RT-PCR and type IV collagen content by immunohistochemistry. MMP activities were determined by degradation of a radiolabelled substrate and by zymography. RESULTS: Six months of diabetes was associated with a decrease in mRNA and enzymatic activity of MMP-9 (21 % and 51 % respectively, p < 0.05 vs control) and a 51 % increase in TIMP-1 mRNA ( p < 0.05 vs control). By contrast, MMP-2 mRNA was increased but its activity decreased (43 % and 43 % respectively, p < 0.05 vs control). Total degradative capacity of kidney tissue from diabetic rats was also lower (Control: 48 +/- 7 %, Diabetic: 33 +/- 6 %, p < 0.05). Activation of latent MMPs with amino-phenylmercuric acetate increased matrix degradation by two-fold. However the relative decrease associated with experimental diabetes still remained. All diabetes-associated changes in MMP and TIMP mRNA and activities were attenuated by perindopril treatment in association with reduced type IV collagen accumulation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These results indicate that the impairment of matrix degradation contributes to matrix accumulation in diabetic nephropathy and that the beneficial effects of ACE inhibition could in part be mediated by modulation of changes in matrix degradative pathways.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Regulation of matrix metalloproteinase expressions in astrocytes, microglia and neurons.

In neurodegenerative disease or after brain injury, parenchymal cells in the central nervous system are activated to produce inflammatory mediators, mainly consisting of cytokine-induced factors, in a manner similar to, but clearly different from a peripheral inflammatory response. The upregulated expression of several extracellular matrix proteins in astrocytes located surrounding a neuritic plaque in Alzheimer's disease is a good example of such a response. A family of mediators which is cytokine-induced during an inflammatory response in the periphery are the matrix metalloproteinases. Matrix metalloproteinases are calcium-requiring, zinc-containing endopeptidases that constitute a major component of the enzyme cascade responsible for degradation of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen, proteoglycan and laminin. Little is known about the cellular source or the function of matrix metalloproteinases in the central nervous system or how their expression is regulated in brain. Thus, it was of interest to determine which factors of the so-called 'brain inflammatory response' regulate the expression of these proteases in the nervous system. To this end, we measured the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in cultured rat astrocytes and microglia after treatment with various cytokines. Interleukin-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and lipopolysaccharide were potent stimulators of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (gelatinase A) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (gelatinase B) in cultured rat astrocytes; the effect of each secretagogue was inhibited in the presence of glucocorticoid. Interleukin-1 beta and lipopolysaccharide also stimulated the production of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (stromelysin-1) in astrocytes. In addition, activated microglia release matrix metalloproteinase-9. The 'coactivator' of monocytic phagocytes, interferon-gamma, rather than augmenting the response to lipopolysaccharide, inhibited it. Thus, cytokines appear to be potent regulators of matrix metalloproteinase production in astrocytes and microglia. The presence of these enzymes in 'inflamed' central nervous system may suggest their involvement in the pathogenesis or progression of neurodegenerative diseases which are associated with an inflammatory component. Much remains to be learned about the potential substrates for these enzymes and the mechanism of their activation in the central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Aspirin inhibits tumor cell invasiveness induced by Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 through suppression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to play crucial roles in tumor invasion and metastasis. Because we have shown that EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) enhances MMP-9 expression by activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB and activator protein (AP)-1 (T. Yoshizaki, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95: 3621-3626, 1998), we therefore tested whether up-regulation of MMP-9 by LMP1 could be correlated with enhanced invasiveness of tumor cells in vitro. Whether aspirin and sodium salicylate could reduce invasiveness and whether LMP1 could enhance MMP-9 expression in tumors grown in nude mice were also tested. C33A cells stably expressing LMP1 had increased expression of MMP-9 and showed greater invasion through reconstituted basement membrane compared with vector-transfected C33A cells (P < 0.02). Treatment with aspirin or sodium salicylate inhibited invasiveness of the LMP1-expressing C33A cells (P < 0.03) and suppressed both the LMP1-induced MMP-9 expression in zymographic analyses and LMP1-induced MMP-9 promoter activity in CAT reporter assays (P < 0.01). Endogenous MMP-2 levels were unaffected by either drug. Both drugs repressed the CAT activity of the truncated MMP-9 promoter construct, which only contained a binding site for AP-1, to the basal level (P < 0.05). Moreover, EMSA indicated that the effects of the salicylates were through the inhibition of not only NF-kappaB but also AP-1 binding activity. Inhibitory effect of salicylates could be reversed by p50/p65 subunits of NF-kappaB or c-Jun overexpression. The inhibitory effect of aspirin on NF-kappaB activity was attributable to the inhibition of IkappaB kinase activity. Finally, tumors derived from C33A cells stably expressing LMP1 grown in nude mice showed enhanced MMP-9 levels compared with tumors derived from vector-transfected C33A cells. This enhancement was inhibited by treatment of the mice with aspirin. These results suggest that aspirin may be able to suppress invasion and metastasis of EBV-associated tumors that express LMP1 by suppression of MMP-9.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Inhibitory effect of Aspergillus fumigatus extract on matrix metalloproteinases expression.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a role in several physiologic and pathologic events. There are some evidence indicating the involvement of MMPs in the pathophysiology of fungal infections. METHODS: Here we study somatic extract of Aspergillus fumigatus. The influence of Aspergillus vs. two other fungal extracts on MMPs production by Fibrosarcoma cell line was investigated using an in vitro cytotoxicity assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide and gelatin zymography. RESULTS: Comparative dose-dependent inhibitory effects on MMPs were seen by A. fumigatus extract and compared with some steroidal and non-steroidal drugs. Cytotoxicity analysis of our extract revealed much lower cell death than other examined agents. CONCLUSIONS: Since inhibition of MMPs activity has been employed in modality therapy in such diseases as cancer, this extract might be promising in the preparation of anti-MMP therapeutic derivatives.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed2003

Tumor detection using 18F-labeled matrix metalloproteinase-2 inhibitor.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is a key enzyme involved in tumor invasiveness. (2R)-2- [4-(6-[(18)F]Fluorohex-1-ynyl)-benzenesulfonylamino]-3-methylbutyric acid ([(18)F]SAV03), a new fluorine-18 labeled MMP-2 inhibitor developed for tumor imaging with PET, was biologically evaluated using in vivo tumor model. Enzymatic MMP-2 assay of SAV03 yielded an IC(50) value of 1.9 microM. Biodistribution study of [(18)F]SAV03 using Ehrlich tumor bearing mice showed that the uptake in tumor was higher than in other organs, except for the liver, small intestine, and bone. When [(18)F]SAV03M, a methyl ester of [(18)F]SAV03, was used as a prodrug, the uptake in liver at 30 min after injection decreased by half and that in tumor increased by 2.4 times, compared with [(18)F]SAV03. Radio-thin-layer chromatographic analysis of [(18)F]SAV03M metabolites revealed that administered [(18)F]SAV03M was easily converted to the parent drug in vivo and accumulated in tumor tissue. Thus, [(18)F]SAV03M is suitable as the prodrug of [(18)F]SAV03 with potent efficacy. Whole body autoradiography using [(18)F]SAV03M also indicated tumor-specific accumulation of radioactivity, while higher accumulations in bone and intestinal contents were observed. Our results suggest that [(18)F]SAV03M could be potentially suitable for tumor imaging with PET.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Isoginkgetin inhibits tumor cell invasion by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt-dependent matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 plays a key role in tumor invasion. Inhibitors of MMP-9 were screened from Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood) and one potent inhibitor, isoginkgetin, a biflavonoid, was identified. Noncytotoxic levels of isoginkgetin decreased MMP-9 production profoundly, but up-regulated the level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, an inhibitor of MMP-9, in HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. The major mechanism of Ras-dependent MMP-9 production in HT1080 cells was phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. Expression of dominant-active H-Ras and p85 (a subunit of PI3K) increased MMP-9 activity, whereas dominant-negative forms of these molecules decreased the level of MMP-9. H-Ras did not increase MMP-9 in the presence of a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, and a NF-kappaB inhibitor, SN50. Further studies showed that isoginkgetin regulated MMP-9 production via PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB pathway, as evidenced by the findings that isoginkgetin inhibited activities of both Akt and NF-kappaB. PI3K/Akt is a well-known key pathway for cell invasion, and isoginkgetin inhibited HT1080 tumor cell invasion substantially. Isoginkgetin was also quite effective in inhibiting the activities of Akt and MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 breast carcinomas and B16F10 melanoma. Moreover, isoginkgetin treatment resulted in marked decrease in invasion of these cells. In summary, PI3K/Akt is a major pathway for MMP-9 expression and isoginkgetin markedly decreased MMP-9 expression and invasion through inhibition of this pathway. This suggests that isoginkgetin could be a potential candidate as a therapeutic agent against tumor invasion.

Biflavonoids↗
PubMed1995

Co-expression of tissue inhibitor and matrix metalloproteinase in myocardium.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are present in the latent form in normal myocardium. To examine the stringent balance between MMP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) and to determine whether MMP are secreted simultaneously and in co-ordination with their inhibitors, we analysed MMP and TIMP by immunological, isolation by gel-permeation and affinity chromatography, and enzymatic assays in tissues and extracts. Using antibodies to MMP-1 and TIMP-1, we found strong in situ staining of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 in tissues. The staining was uniform in the endo- and subendomyocardium as well as in the interstitial space. TIMP-1 was present wherever MMP-1 was localized. From the tissue extract, proteins were separated on a gel-filtration column (Sephacryl S-200) and analysed for MMP and TIMP activity by zymography as well as by using succinyl-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-4-amido-7-methyl coumarin (Suc-GPLGP-AMC) as a selective fluorogenic substrate for collagenase. TIMP and MMP were further purified on collagen-Sepharose affinity column. The results indicated that MMP activity was co-eluted with TIMP activity. MMP-1, MMP-2 and TIMP-1 were further analysed by Northern blot for mRNA levels in the heart, skin, lung, liver and kidney. Results suggested co-expression of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 at the transcription level in all tissues. The level of MMP-2 mRNA was specifically higher in the heart tissue, which suggests a role of MMP-2 in the integrity of cardiovascular structure. The study indicated that myocardium as well as other tissue have an endogenous inhibitory system, suggesting that the MMPs activity is co-ordinated by their inhibitors at both the gene and protein levels. Furthermore, MMP and TIMP were co-expressed and were tightly regulated in maintaining the architecture of the interstitial tissue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Myocardial protection from ischemia/reperfusion injury by targeted deletion of matrix metalloproteinase-9.

OBJECTIVE: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity is up regulated in the heart subjected to ischemic insult. Whether increased MMP-9 activity contributes to acute myocardial injury after ischemia-reperfusion remains unknown. To investigate the role of MMP-9 in myocardial infarction, we utilized a MMP-9 knockout mouse. METHODS AND RESULTS: Standard homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells was used to generate a mouse lacking MMP-9. The left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 30 min followed by 24 h reperfusion, and the ischemic and infarct sizes were determined. Targeted deletion of MMP-9 protected the heart from no-flow ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial injury. The myocardial infarct size was reduced by 17.5% in MMP-9 heterozygotes (+/-) (P<0.01) and 35.4% in MMP-9 knockout (-/-) mice (P<0.01) versus the wild-type (+/+) mice, respectively. Analysis of MMP activity in myocardial extracts by zymography demonstrated that ischemia-reperfusion-induced expression of proMMP-9 and active MMP-9 was reduced by 77.8% (P<0.01) and 69.1% (P<0.001), respectively, in (+/-) mice compared to (+/+) mice, and was absent in (-/-) animals. The expression of TIMP-1, an endogenous inhibitor of MMP-9, was elevated 4.7-fold (P<0.05) and 21.4-fold (P<0.05) in the (+/-) and (-/-) mice, respectively, compared to (+/+) mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that neutrophils were the primary cellular source of MMP-9, and less neutrophils were detected in the ischemic region of the heart following ischemia-reperfusion in (-/-) mice compared to (+/+) mice. Measurement of myeloperoxidase activity, a marker enzyme of neutrophils, demonstrated a 44% reduction in neutrophils infiltrated into the ischemic myocardium in the (-/-) mice compared to the (+/+) mice (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MMP-9 plays an important role in ischemia-reperfusion-induced myocardial infarction and MMP-9 could be a target for prevention or treatment of acute ischemic myocardial injury.

Animals↗
PubMed2007

Protective effects of atorvastatin in rat models of acute pulmonary embolism: involvement of matrix metalloproteinase-9.

OBJECTIVE: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of acute pulmonary embolism (APE)-induced pulmonary hypertension. Here, we evaluate the effects of atorvastatin pretreatment on APE-induced pulmonary hypertension, 24-hr mortality rate, and changes in plasma and lung MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. DESIGN: Controlled animal study. SETTING: University research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Male Wistar rats. INTERVENTIONS: Rats received atorvastatin (30 mg/kg/day orally) or tap water for 2 wks. In study 1, we examined whether atorvastatin affected APE-induced pulmonary hypertension by using a rat isolated lung perfusion model of APE. In study 2, we examined whether atorvastatin affects the survival rate after APE, which was induced by rapid intravenous injection of 14 mg/kg of a suspension of microspheres (or saline) into the tail vein. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Plasma nitrite/nitrate concentrations were measured by chemiluminescence. Pretreatment with atorvastatin was associated with 49% higher nitrite/nitrate levels compared with controls (p < .05). In study 1, whereas APE increased mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) by 13.0 +/- 1.6 mm Hg in perfused lungs isolated from rats pretreated with water, pretreatment with atorvastatin attenuated by 27% the increases in MPAP after APE. In study 2, pretreatment with atorvastatin was associated with a significant increase in 24-hr survival rate after APE, which was 48% in embolized rats pretreated with water and 64% in rats pretreated with atorvastatin (p < .05). Gelatin zymography of lung and plasma MMP-2 and MMP-9 was performed. Lungs and plasma from embolized rats showed higher levels of both pro- and activated forms of MMP-9 compared with those from nonembolized animals (all p < .05). However, pretreatment with atorvastatin attenuated by 32% the increases in lung-activated MMP-9 levels after APE (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pretreatment with atorvastatin attenuates APE-induced pulmonary hypertension and increases 24-hr survival rate by mechanisms that result in attenuated increases in lung activated MMP-9 after APE.

Acute Disease↗