The prognostic role of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in gastric cancer survival has been widely evaluated. However, the results are controversial. We aimed to set up a meta-analysis to reach a conclusion on the prognostic significance of metalloproteinase-7 in gastric cancer survival as well as its association with clinicopathological parameters. We searched popular databases from 1988 until October 2014 to gather eligible peer-reviewed papers addressing the prognostic effect of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in gastric cancer patients' survival. The CASP check list was used for quality appraisal. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) for survival and odds ratio (OR) for association with their 95% confidence interval (CI) were considered as summary measurements. Finally, 1208 gastric cancer patients from nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled HR estimate for survival was 2.01 (95% CI = 1.62 - 2.50, P < 0.001), which indicated a significant poor prognostic effect for matrix metalloproteinase-7. Sensitivity analysis detected no dominancy for any study. No publication bias was detected according to Egger's and Begg's tests. Clinicopathological assessment revealed that higher matrix metalloproteinase-7 expression is associated with deeper invasion (pooled OR = 3.20; 95% CI = 1.14 - 8.96; P = 0.026), higher TNM stage (pooled OR = 3.67; 95% CI = 2.281-5.99; P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (pooled OR = 2.84; 95% CI = 1.89 - 4.25; P<0.001), and distant metastasis (pooled OR = 3.68; 95% CI = 1.85 - 7.29; P<0.001), but not with histological grade. This meta-analysis indicated a significant poor prognostic effect of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in gastric cancer survival. Additionally it was associated with aggressive tumor phenotype.

Transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) plays an important role in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of STAT3 knockdown in nude mouse xenografts of pancreatic cancer cells and underlying gene expression.

Atherosclerosis is a major cause of cerebrovascular disease. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in matrix degradation within the atherosclerotic lesion leading to plaque destabilization and ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that MMP-7 could be involved in this process.

Mutations in the transcription factor SOX18 are responsible for specific cardiovascular defects in humans and mice. In order to gain insight into the molecular basis of its action, we identified target genes of SOX18 and analyzed one, MMP7, in detail.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Achaete-scute complex homolog-1 (Ascl1) is a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor family that has multiple functions in the normal and neoplastic lung such as the regulation of neuroendocrine differentiation, prevention of apoptosis and promotion of tumor-initiating cells. We now show that Ascl1 directly regulates matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) and O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Loss- and gain-of-function experiments in human bronchial epithelial and lung carcinoma cell lines revealed that Ascl1, MMP-7 and MGMT are able to protect cells from the tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK-induced DNA damage and the alkylating agent cisplatin-induced apoptosis. We also examined the role of Ascl1 in NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis in vivo. Using transgenic mice which constitutively expressed human Ascl1 in airway lining cells, we found that there was a delay in lung tumorigenesis. We conclude that Ascl1 potentially enhances DNA repair through activation of MMP-7 and MGMT which may impact lung carcinogenesis and chemoresistance. The study has uncovered a novel and unexpected function of Ascl1 which will contribute to better understanding of lung carcinogenesis and the broad implications of transcription factors in tobacco-related carcinogenesis.

Immediately following a fracture, a fibrin laden hematoma is formed to prevent bleeding and infection. Subsequently, the organized removal of fibrin, via the protease plasmin, is essential to permit fracture repair through angiogenesis and ossification. Yet, when plasmin activity is lost, the depletion of fibrin alone is insufficient to fully restore fracture repair, suggesting the existence of additional plasmin targets important for fracture repair. Previously, activated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) was demonstrated to function in fracture repair by promoting angiogenesis. Given that MMP-9 is a defined plasmin target, it was hypothesized that pro-MMP-9, following plasmin activation, promotes fracture repair. This hypothesis was tested in a fixed murine femur fracture model with serial assessment of fracture healing. Contrary to previous findings, a complete loss of MMP-9 failed to affect fracture healing and union through 28 days post injury. Therefore, these results demonstrated that MMP-9 is dispensable for timely fracture union and cartilage transition to bone in fixed femur fractures. Pro-MMP-9 is therefore not a significant target of plasmin in fracture repair and future studies assessing additional plasmin targets associated with angiogenesis are warranted.

Rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque is a key event in the development of cardiovascular disorders, in which matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) plays a crucial role by degradation of extracellular matrix resulting in plaque instability. Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), a member of interleukin-6-type proinflammatory cytokines, has potent cardiovascular actions and is highly expressed in vascular endothelium, however its role in atherosclerosis has not been fully elucidated to date. The present study was designed to investigate whether CT-1 induces MMP-1 in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Ribonuclease protection assay demonstrated that MMP-1 gene level in HAECs was enhanced by the treatment of CT-1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Immunocytochemical staining, Western immunoblot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that CT-1 augmented MMP-1 protein synthesis and secretion. MMP-1 activity assay revealed that MMP-1 present in the supernatant of HAECs was exclusively precursor form. Casein zymography disclosed proteolytic activity in the supernatant of HAECs, which was enhanced by CT-1 treatment. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibitor study indicated the important roles of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathways in mediating CT-1-induced MMP-1 gene and protein expression. These data reveal for the first time that CT-1 induces the proteolytic potential in HAECs by upregulating MMP-1 expression through ERK1/2, p38 MAP kinase, JNK and JAK/STAT pathways, and suggest that CT-1 may play an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and plaque instability.

Development of adipose tissue requires the differentiation of less specialized cells, such as human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), into adipocytes. Since matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play critical roles in the cell differentiation process, we conducted investigations to determine if a novel mercaptosulfonamide-based MMP inhibitor (MMPI), YHJ-7-52, could affect hMSC adipogenic differentiation and lipid accumulation. Enzyme inhibition assays, adipogenic differentiation experiments, and quantitative PCR methods were employed to characterize this inhibitor and determine its effect upon adipogenesis. YHJ-7-52 reduced lipid accumulation in differentiated cells by comparable amounts as a potent hydroxamate MMPI, GM6001. However, YHJ-7-82, a non-inhibitory structural analog of YHJ-7-52, in which the zinc-binding thiol group is replaced by a hydroxyl group, had no effect on adipogenesis. The two MMPIs (YHJ-7-52 and GM6001) were also as effective in reducing lipid accumulation in differentiated cells as T0070907, an antagonist of peroxisome-proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), at a similar concentration. PPAR-gamma is a typical adipogenic marker and a key regulatory protein for the transition of preadiopocyte to adipocyte. Moreover, MMP inhibition was able to suppress lipid accumulation in cells co-treated with Troglitazone, a PPAR-gamma agonist. Our results indicate that MMP inhibitors may be used as molecular tools for adipogenesis and obesity treatment research.

Airway remodelling describes the histopathological changes leading to fixed airway obstruction in patients with asthma and includes extra-cellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) is present in remodelled airways but its relationship with ECM proteins and the resulting functional consequences are unknown. We used airway smooth muscle cells (ASM) and bronchial biopsies from control donors and patients with asthma to examine the regulation of MMP-1 by ECM in ASM cells and the effect of MMP-1 on ASM contraction. Collagen-I and tenascin-C induced MMP-1 protein expression, which for tenascin-C, was greater in asthma derived ASM cells. Tenascin-C induced MMP-1 expression was dependent on ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK activation and attenuated by function blocking antibodies against the β1 and β3 integrin subunits. Tenascin-C and MMP-1 were not expressed in normal airways but co-localised in the ASM bundles and reticular basement membrane of patients with asthma. Further, ECM from asthma derived ASM cells stimulated MMP-1 expression to a greater degree than ECM from normal ASM. Bradykinin induced contraction of ASM cells seeded in 3D collagen gels was reduced by the MMP inhibitor ilomastat and by siRNA knockdown of MMP-1. In summary, the induction of MMP-1 in ASM cells by tenascin-C occurs in part via integrin mediated MAPK signalling. MMP-1 and tenascin-C are co-localised in the smooth muscle bundles of patients with asthma where this interaction may contribute to enhanced airway contraction. Our findings suggest that ECM changes in airway remodelling via MMP-1 could contribute to an environment promoting greater airway narrowing in response to broncho-constrictor stimuli and worsening asthma symptoms.

We previously demonstrated that the matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) contained an antigenic peptide recognized by a CD8 T cell clone in the HLA-A*0201 context. The presentation of this peptide on class I molecules by human melanoma cells required a cross-presentation mechanism. Surprisingly, the classical endogenous processing pathway did not process this MMP-2 epitope.

In response to peripheral nerve injury, Schwann cells adopt a migratory phenotype and modify the extracellular matrix to make it permissive for cell migration and axonal re-growth. Uridine 5'-triphosphate (UTP) and other nucleotides are released during nerve injury and activate purinergic receptors expressed on the Schwann cell surface, but little is known about the involvement of purine signalling in wound healing. We studied the effect of UTP on Schwannoma cell migration and wound closure and the intracellular signaling pathways involved. We found that UTP treatment induced Schwannoma cell migration through activation of P2Y2 receptors and through the increase of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activation and expression. Knockdown P2Y2 receptor or MMP-2 expression greatly reduced wound closure and MMP-2 activation induced by UTP. MMP-2 activation evoked by injury or UTP was also mediated by phosphorylation of all 3 major mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs): JNK, ERK1/2, and p38. Inhibition of these MAPK pathways decreased both MMP-2 activation and cell migration. Interestingly, MAPK phosphorylation evoked by UTP exhibited a biphasic pattern, with an early transient phosphorylation 5 min after treatment, and a late and sustained phosphorylation that appeared at 6 h and lasted up to 24 h. Inhibition of MMP-2 activity selectively blocked the late, but not the transient, phase of MAPK activation. These results suggest that MMP-2 activation and late MAPK phosphorylation are part of a positive feedback mechanism to maintain the migratory phenotype for wound healing. In conclusion, our findings show that treatment with UTP stimulates in vitro Schwannoma cell migration and wound repair through a MMP-2-dependent mechanism via P2Y2 receptors and MAPK pathway activation.

During stroke, cells in the infarct core exhibit rapid failure of their permeability barriers, which releases ions and inflammatory molecules that are deleterious to nearby tissue (the penumbra). Plasma membrane degradation is key to penumbral spread and is mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are released via vesicular exocytosis into the extracellular fluid in response to stress. DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid) preserves membrane integrity in neurons challenged with an in vitro ischemic penumbral mimic (ischemic solution: IS) and we asked whether this action was mediated via inhibition of MMP activity. In cultured murine hippocampal neurons challenged with IS, intracellular proMMP-2 and -9 expression increased 4-10 fold and extracellular latent and active MMP isoform expression increased 2-22 fold. MMP-mediated extracellular gelatinolytic activity increased ∼20-50 fold, causing detachment of 32.1±4.5% of cells from the matrix and extensive plasma membrane degradation (>60% of cells took up vital dyes and >60% of plasma membranes were fragmented or blebbed). DIDS abolished cellular detachment and membrane degradation in neurons and the pathology-induced extracellular expression of latent and active MMPs. DIDS similarly inhibited extracellular MMP expression and cellular detachment induced by the pro-apoptotic agent staurosporine or the general proteinase agonist 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). Conversely, DIDS-treatment did not impair stress-induced intracellular proMMP production, nor the intracellular cleavage of proMMP-2 to the active form, suggesting DIDS interferes with the vesicular extrusion of MMPs rather than directly inhibiting proteinase expression or activation. In support of this hypothesis, an antagonist of the V-type vesicular ATPase also inhibited extracellular MMP expression to a similar degree as DIDS. In addition, in a proteinase-independent model of vesicular exocytosis, DIDS prevented stimulus-evoked release of von Willebrand Factor from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We conclude that DIDS inhibits MMP exocytosis and through this mechanism preserves neuronal membrane integrity during pathological stress.

The molecular mechanisms that underpin invasive ductal breast cancer (IDC) invasion and metastasis are incompletely understood. The oncogene, mouse double minute 2 (MDM2), has been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous cancers, where it stimulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), an important enzyme in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix. However, its role in breast cancer remains poorly understood. This study assessed the clinical significance of MDM2 expression in IDC and used in vitro expression assays to determine the molecular roles of MDM2. Immunohistochemical staining for MMP9 and MDM2 was performed using archived tumor blocks from 321 women who underwent surgical resection for IDC at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China between January 2002 and December 2003. MCF-7 and MDA-MD-231 cell lines were transfected with siRNA targeted against MDM2, or MDM2 was overexpressed using transiently expressed vectors. The invasion, cell migration and proteolytic capabilities of cells that over- or underexpressed MDM2 was then assessed and compared against control cells, in addition to the consequent effects on MMP9 expression using RT-PCR. In vivo, 54.9% and 49.6% of samples were positive for MMP9 and MDM2 expression, respectively, and their expression was significantly correlated (r² = 0.171, P = 0.012). Moreover, MDM2 expression was markedly correlated with disease-free survival (HR 2.56, 95% CI 1.02-6.40, P = 0.038). In vitro, MDM2 overexpression significantly enhanced cell invasion, migration and proteolysis compared with control cells, and the converse effects were observed after MDM2-siRNA treatment. MDM2 overexpression induced MMP9 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that high levels of MDM2 are associated with a poorer prognosis in IDC. This might result from increased tumor invasiveness due to enhanced MMP9 expression causing increased extracellular matrix breakdown.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most popular cancers in the world with poor prognosis, which often develops from chronic liver inflammatory diseases. Interleukin 23 (IL-23) is an inflammatory cytokine which is reported to play an important role in tumor development in animal model. While the function of IL-23 in HCC development remains unknown, so we investigate the role of IL-23 in HCC progression in this study.

Experimental and clinical evidence has pinpointed a critical role for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in ischemic ventricular remodeling and systolic heart failure. Prior studies have demonstrated that transgenic expression of the full-length, 68 kDa, secreted form of MMP-2 induces severe systolic failure. These mice also had unexpected and severe mitochondrial structural abnormalities and dysfunction. We hypothesized that an additional intracellular isoform of MMP-2, which affects mitochondrial function is induced under conditions of systolic failure-associated oxidative stress.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is increasingly recognized as a major contributor to progressive cardiac injury within the setting of ischemia-reperfusion injury and ischemic ventricular remodeling. A common feature of these conditions is an increase in oxidative stress, a process that engages multiple pro-inflammatory and innate immunity cascades. We recently reported on the identification and characterization of an intracellular isoform of MMP-2 generated by oxidative stress-mediated activation of an alternative promoter located within the first intron of the MMP-2 gene. Transcription from this site generates an N-terminal truncated 65 kDa isoform of MMP-2 (NTT-MMP-2) that lacks the secretory sequence and the inhibitory prodomain region. The NTT-MMP-2 isoform is intracellular, enzymatically active and localizes in part to mitochondria. Expression of the NTT-MMP-2 isoform triggers Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cell (NFAT) and NF-κB signaling with the expression of a highly defined innate immunity transcriptome, including Interleukin-6, MCP-1, IRF-7 and pro-apoptotic transcripts. To determine the functional significance of the NTT-MMP-2 isoform in vivo we generated cardiac-specific NTT-MMP-2 transgenic mice. These mice developed progressive cardiomyocyte and ventricular hypertrophy associated with systolic heart failure. Further, there was evidence for cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial infiltration with mononuclear cells. The NTT-MMP-2 transgenic hearts also demonstrated more severe injury following ex vivo ischemia-reperfusion injury. We conclude that a novel intracellular MMP-2 isoform induced by oxidant stress directly contributes, in the absence of superimposed injury, to cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. inflammation, systolic heart failure and enhanced susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and long-term disability. Following the initial insult, severe TBI progresses to a secondary injury phase associated with biochemical and cellular changes. The secondary injury is thought to be responsible for the development of many of the neurological deficits observed after TBI and also provides a window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 or gelatinase B) expression is elevated in neurological diseases and its activation is an important factor in detrimental outcomes including excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, and increases in inflammatory responses and astrogliosis. In this study, we used an experimental mouse model of TBI to examine the role of MMP-9 and the therapeutic potential of SB-3CT, a mechanism-based gelatinase selective inhibitor, in ameliorating the secondary injury. We observed that activation of MMP-9 occurred within one day following TBI, and remained elevated for 7 days after the initial insult. SB-3CT effectively attenuated MMP-9 activity, reduced brain lesion volumes and prevented neuronal loss and dendritic degeneration. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that SB-3CT and its active metabolite, p-OH SB-3CT, were rapidly absorbed and distributed to the brain. Moreover, SB-3CT treatment mitigated microglial activation and astrogliosis after TBI. Importantly, SB-3CT treatment improved long-term neurobehavioral outcomes, including sensorimotor function, and hippocampus-associated spatial learning and memory. These results demonstrate that MMP-9 is a key target for therapy to attenuate secondary injury cascades and that this class of mechanism-based gelatinase inhibitor-with such desirable pharmacokinetic properties-holds considerable promise as a potential pharmacological treatment of TBI.

Matrix metalloproteinases (Mmps) stimulate tumor invasion and metastasis by degrading the extracellular matrix. Here we reveal an unexpected role for Mmp10 (stromelysin 2) in the maintenance and tumorigenicity of mouse lung cancer stem-like cells (CSC). Mmp10 is highly expressed in oncosphere cultures enriched in CSCs and RNAi-mediated knockdown of Mmp10 leads to a loss of stem cell marker gene expression and inhibition of oncosphere growth, clonal expansion, and transformed growth in vitro. Interestingly, clonal expansion of Mmp10 deficient oncospheres can be restored by addition of exogenous Mmp10 protein to the culture medium, demonstrating a direct role for Mmp10 in the proliferation of these cells. Oncospheres exhibit enhanced tumor-initiating and metastatic activity when injected orthotopically into syngeneic mice, whereas Mmp10-deficient cultures show a severe defect in tumor initiation. Conversely, oncospheres implanted into syngeneic non-transgenic or Mmp10(-/-) mice show no significant difference in tumor initiation, growth or metastasis, demonstrating the importance of Mmp10 produced by cancer cells rather than the tumor microenvironment in lung tumor initiation and maintenance. Analysis of gene expression data from human cancers reveals a strong positive correlation between tumor Mmp10 expression and metastatic behavior in many human tumor types. Thus, Mmp10 is required for maintenance of a highly tumorigenic, cancer-initiating, metastatic stem-like cell population in lung cancer. Our data demonstrate for the first time that Mmp10 is a critical lung cancer stem cell gene and novel therapeutic target for lung cancer stem cells.

Cardiac fibrosis is a deleterious consequence of hypertension which may further advance to heart failure and increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) contributes to the underlying mechanism. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies to attenuate the effects of MMP-9 are urgently needed. In the present study, we characterize salvianolic acid A (SalA) as a novel MMP-9 inhibitor at molecular, cellular and animal level. We expressed a truncated form of MMP-9 which contains only the catalytic domain (MMP-9 CD), and used this active protein for enzymatic kinetic analysis and Biacore detection. Data generated from these assays indicated that SalA functioned as the strongest competitive inhibitor of MMP-9 among 7 phenolic acids from Salvia miltiorrhiza. In neonatal cardiac fibroblast, SalA inhibited fibroblast migration, blocked myofibroblast transformation, inhibited secretion of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) as well as collagen induced by MMP-9 CD. Functional effects of SalA inhibition on MMP-9 was further confirmed in cultured cardiac H9c2 cell overexpressing MMP-9 in vitro and in heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in vivo. Moreover, SalA treatment in SHR resulted in decreased heart fibrosis and attenuated heart hypertrophy. These results indicated that SalA is a novel inhibitor of MMP-9, thus playing an inhibitory role in hypertensive fibrosis. Further studies to develop SalA and its analogues for their potential clinical application of cardioprotection are warranted.

Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted protein involved in inflammatory processes and cancer, induces cell adhesion, migration, and activation of inflammatory pathways in various cell types. Cells bind OPN via integrins at a canonical RGD region in the full length form as well as to a contiguous cryptic site that some have shown is unmasked upon thrombin or matrix metalloproteinase cleavage. Thus, the adhesive capacity of osteopontin is enhanced by proteolytic cleavage that may occur in inflammatory conditions such as obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tumor growth and metastasis. Our aim was to inhibit cellular adhesion to recombinant truncated proteins that correspond to the N-terminal cleavage products of thrombin- or matrix metalloproteinase-cleaved OPN in vitro. We specifically targeted the cryptic integrin binding site with monoclonal antibodies and antisera induced by peptide immunization of mice. HEK 293 cells adhered markedly stronger to truncated OPN proteins than to full length OPN. Without affecting cell binding to the full length form, the raised monoclonal antibodies specifically impeded cellular adhesion to the OPN fragments. Moreover, we show that the peptides used for immunization were able to induce antisera, which impeded adhesion either to all OPN forms, including the full-length form, or selectively to the corresponding truncated recombinant proteins. In conclusion, we developed immunological tools to selectively target functional properties of protease-cleaved OPN forms, which could find applications in treatment and prevention of various inflammatory diseases and cancers.