Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.23 (MMP)
 4,246 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

This article describes the significance of mRNA expression of VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP in human colorectal cancer metastases, particularly hepatic metastases. The levels of gene expression were quantified by Northern blot hybridization in tumor and nontumor tissues obtained from 66 primary cases. Significantly higher levels of expression of VEGF mRNA were observed in patients with synchronous hepatic metastases (n = 15) and/or lymph node metastases than in those without. Patients with synchronous hepatic metastases had significantly higher levels of mRNA expression of all MMP genes than in those without, and no apparent correlation was seen between MMP mRNA expression and other clinicopathologic variables. Also in a study including 4 cases of metachronous hepatic metastases after surgery. VEGF, MMP-9, and MT1-MMP mRNA expression were significantly higher in patients with hepatic metastases than in those without, indicating that these are predictable markers for hepatic metastases. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that VEGF and MT1-MMP were localized mainly in cancer cells, whereas MMP-2 and MMP-9 were distributed throughout stromal cells such as fibroblasts and leukocytes in tumor tissues.
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PMID:[Implication of VEGF and MMPs in hepatic metastasis of human colon cancer]. 974 24

Endothelial cells expose receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF) at the abluminal, basal surface that work as basic regulators of tumor-induced angiogenesis. Their specific localization makes them susceptible to the activity of tumor-released stimulatory factors, like VEGF/VPF, which induce proliferation of the endothelial cell toward the extracellular matrix. At the same time, VEGF/VPF stimulates endothelial cells to expose tissue factor (TF), the high-affinity transmembrane receptor and cofactor for cellular initiation of the plasma coagulation protease cascades through the extrinsic pathway, so generating thrombin. Thrombin exerts a number of activities: it forms an extracellular fibrin barrier from the VEGF/VPF-dependent fibrinogen extravasation; it activates progelatinase-A (pro-MMP-2), which destroys the basal membrane, allowing proliferation of endothelial cells (ECs) in the novel tumoral fibrin matrix; finally, it induces EC proliferation, potentiating the VEGF effect. Another important factor exposed at the abluminal endothelial cell surface is membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), a membrane-bound metalloproteinase, which also activates progelatinase-A, allowing an alternative pathway to that of thrombin to destroy the basal membrane. In addition, we will see that MT1-MMP is also engaged in a direct, cell-associated fibrinolytic activity, essential for tubulogenesis of the novel outsprouting capillary.
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PMID:Molecular polarity in endothelial cells and tumor-induced angiogenesis. 1106 39

We examined the expression level of several genes that regulate distinct steps of metastasis in 55 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, archival specimens of primary human ovarian carcinoma from patients undergoing curative surgery. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor/vascular permeability factor (VEGF/VPF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), E-cadherin, type IV collagenase, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9), and interleukin 8 (IL-8) was examined by a colorimetric in situ mRNA hybridization technique. The expression level of E-cadherin, MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and IL-8 mRNA correlated with disease stages. The ratio of type IV collagenase expression (mean of the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9) to E-cadherin expression (MMP:E-cadherin ratio) increased with increasing stage of disease (p<0.0001). Death rates significantly increased with high MMP:E-cadherin ratio (p=0.0005). Multivariate analysis of overall survival showed that the MMP:E-cadherin ratio was a significant independent prognostic factor, even after adjustment for known prognostic factors, such as histology, stage, and age.
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PMID:Expression of metastasis-related genes in human epithelial ovarian tumors. 1174 36

Tumor-stroma interactions play a significant role in tumor development and progression. Alterations in the stromal microenvironment, including enhanced vasculature (angiogenesis), modified extracellular matrix composition, inflammatory cells, and dys-balanced protease activity, are essential regulatory factors of tumor growth and invasion. Differential modulation of stromal characteristics is induced by epithelial skin tumor cells depending on their transformation stage when grown as surface transplants in vivo. Tumor cells can regulate the development of a "tumor-stroma" via the aberrant expression of growth factors or induction of growth factor receptors in the stromal compartment. In this context, secretion of the hematopoietic growth factors G-CSF and GM-CSF, constituitively expressed in enhanced malignant tumors, may be good candidates for induction of a tumor stroma through their effect on inflammatory cells. Upon its induction, the tumor stroma will reciprocally influence the differentiation status of tumor cells resulting in a normalization of benign tumor epithelia and the maintenance of a malignant phenotype, respectively. In the HaCaT model for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, stromal activation and angiogenesis are transient in pre-malignant transplants, however they remain persistent in malignant transplants where progressive angiogenesis is closely correlated with tumor invasion. While continued expression of VEGF and PDGF are associated with benign tumor phenotypes, activation of VEGFR-2 is a hallmark of malignant tumors and accompanies ongoing angiogenesis and tumor invasion. As a consequence the inhibition of ongoing angiogenesis by blocking VEGFR-2 signalling resulted in dramatically impaired malignant tumor expansion and invasion. Comparably, tumor vascularization and invasion was blocked by disturbing the balance of matrix protease activity caused by a lack of PAI-1 in the stromal cells of the knockout mouse hosts. A similar inhibition of tumor vascularization was caused by TSP-1 over-expression in skin carcinoma cells, which also blocked tumor invasion and expansion. On the other hand, when granulation tissue and angiogenesis were only transiently activated as a result of stable transfection of PDGF into non-tumorigenic HaCaT cells, the target cells formed benign, but not malignant, tumors. Collectively, these data show that tumor vascularization, providing intimate association of blood vessels with tumor cells, is a prerequisite for tumor invasion. A potential mechanism for this interrelationship may be the differential regulation of MMP-expression in tumors of different grades of malignancy. In vitro MMP expression did not discriminate between benign and malignant tumor cells unless they were co-cultured with stromal fibroblasts. However, in vivo regulation of MMP expression was clearly dependent on tumor phenotype. While MMP-1 and MMP-13 were down-regulated in benign transplants, they were persistently up-regulated in malignant ones. A tight balance between proteases and their inhibitors is crucial for both the formation and infiltration of blood vessels and for tumor cell invasion, thus again emphasizing the importance of the stromal compartment for the development and progression of carcinomas.
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PMID:Tumor-stroma interactions directing phenotype and progression of epithelial skin tumor cells. 1249 91

Atrioventricular (AV) septal defects resulting from aberrant endocardial cushion (EC) formation are observed at increased rates in infants of diabetic mothers. EC formation occurs via an epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), involving transformation of endocardial cells into mesenchymal cells, migration, and invasion into extracellular matrix. Here, we report that elevated glucose inhibits EMT by reducing myocardial vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). This effect is reversed with exogenous recombinant mouse VEGF-A165, whereas addition of soluble VEGF receptor-1 blocks EMT. We show that disruption of EMT is associated with persistence of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) and decreased matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression. These findings correlate with retention of a nontransformed endocardial sheet and lack of invasion. The MMP inhibitor GM6001 blocks invasion, whereas explants from PECAM-1 deficient mice exhibit MMP-2 induction and normal EMT in high glucose. PECAM-1-negative endothelial cells are highly motile and express more MMP-2 than do PECAM-1-positive endothelial cells. During EMT, loss of PECAM-1 similarly promotes single cell motility and MMP-2 expression. Our findings suggest that high glucose-induced inhibition of AV cushion morphogenesis results from decreased myocardial VEGF-A expression and is, in part, mediated by persistent endocardial cell PECAM-1 expression and failure to up-regulate MMP-2 expression.
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PMID:Elevated glucose inhibits VEGF-A-mediated endocardial cushion formation: modulation by PECAM-1 and MMP-2. 1259 18

To account for reproductive failure induced by surgical deletion of paternal accessory sex glands in the golden hamster in vivo, we studied expression of vegf, FLT-1 (VEGF-R1), FLK-1 (VEGF-R2), MMP and TGF-beta in endometrium of the dam and sired embryos during 5-7 days post coitum by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation, semiquantitative RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spatiotemporal pattern of vegf expression in the control animals was similar to that reported for intact animals by our group. Removal of paternal ampullary glands did not disturb the normal expression pattern. Removal of ventral prostate glands alone or all accessory sex glands was associated with reduction of vegf transcripts and protein levels in both the embryo and endometrium. FLT-1, FLK-1 and MMP-2 were also reduced. MMP-1 was not changed whereas TGF-beta1 expression was enhanced. There was no expression in endometrium in between implantation sites. Thus the implanted embryos had a trophic effect on growth factor production by the endometrium, and the levels of expression were determined by viability and structural integrity of the conceptus. Based on these findings we concluded that incompetent embryos sired by males without the ventral prostate gland or all accessory sex glands reduced the potential of the uterus to support pregnancy. A negative cycle of events was thus set up and eventually led to premature termination of pregnancies.
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PMID:Embryos sired by males without accessory sex glands induce failure of uterine support: a study of VEGF, MMP and TGF expression in the golden hamster. 1259 72

Hybridization with cDNA arrays was used to obtain expression profiles of 263 protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK), protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), dual-specific phosphatase (DuSP), and other genes for the normal prostate tissue, primary prostate carcinomas (PC) of 84 patients, 7 xenografts, and 5 carcinoma cell lines. Analysis of 96 profiles revealed eight clusters of genes coexpressed in PC (coefficient of correlation r > 0.7). According to the known functions of their genes, the clusters were designated as proliferating-cell (CDC42, TOP2A, FGFR3, MYC, etc.), neoangiogenesis and blood-cell (LCK, VAV1, KDR, VEGF, MMP9, SYK, PTPRS, and FLT4), invasion-1 and invasion-2 (ADAM17, TRPM2, DUSP6, VIM, CAV1, CAV2, JAK1, PTPNS1, FYN, and PDGFB), HER2, and PSA/PSM/HER3. Basing on expression profiles of 66 genes, a molecular classification of PC was constructed and allowed discrimination between PC and cell lines or xenografts at 98.9% probability. The results suggested that, along with PSA, PSM (FOLH1), kallikrein-2, and a-2-macroglobulin, cell signaling genes EGFR, HER2, HER3, TOP2, KRT8, KRT18, VEGF, CD44, VIM, CAV1, and CAV2 may serve as diagnostic and prognostic markers in PC. The HER2, VEGF, and CD44 genes and the MMP and ADAM families were assumed to be promising targets for inhibitors of PC cell proliferation and metastasis.
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PMID:[Gene expression profiles of protein kinases and phosphatases obtained by hybridization with cDNA arrays: molecular portrait of human prostate carcinoma]. 1262 52

VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) is not only one of the most important angiogenesis factors, but is involved also in inflammatory processes. Recent studies have shown that VEGF as well as its receptor VEGFR-2 are expressed on osteoarthritic chondrocytes, but not on normal adult chondrocytes. Since mechanical overload is one of the causative factors for osteoarthritis, we studied its effect on VEGF expression on bovine cartilage disks that were compressed once with a strain of 50% and a strain rate of 1/second. Under these conditions, control disks (without pressure) were completely negative for VEGF expression as evidenced by immunocytochemical stainings as well as by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurements. In contrast, 4 days after mechanical overload, the cartilage disks were positive in both detection methods. In addition, after mechanical overload chondrocytes were strongly immunopositive for hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha), the limiting protein of the dimeric transcription factor HIF-1 that is known to induce VEGF expression. Furthermore, the matrix metalloproteases MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13, could be easily detected in pressure-treated disks by immunohistochemistry whereas staining in controls was low or undetectable. The tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and -2) could be detected in controls but not in samples treated with mechanical overload. To prove that increased MMP or decreased TIMP expression could be a result of the autocrine action of VEGF on chondrocytes, we repeated the experiments in the presence of a specific inhibitor for the kinase activity of the VEGFR-2. This inhibitor was effective to reduce mechanically induced MMP-1, -3, and -13 immunostaining and to restore TIMP expression. Taking together, these findings indicate that VEGF is induced in chondrocytes by mechanical overload and mediates destructive processes in osteoarthritis as an autocrine factor.
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PMID:Mechanical overload induces VEGF in cartilage discs via hypoxia-inducible factor. 1469 32

The midcycle surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) triggers events within the primate periovulatory follicle that culminate in follicle rupture and luteinization of the follicle wall; these events include the shift from primarily estrogen to primarily progesterone production, vascularization of the granulosa cell layer, and expression of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors (MMPs and TIMPs) thought to be necessary for follicle rupture. However, it is unknown if LH acts directly at granulosa cells to regulate these important periovulatory processes. The ovulatory LH surge also stimulates the production of prostaglandins (PGs) by the follicle just before follicle rupture, suggesting that LH may have both PG-dependent and PG-independent actions. To address these questions, gonadotropins were administered to adult female rhesus monkeys to stimulate the development of multiple, large preovulatory follicles. Granulosa cells were aspirated and maintained in vitro for up to 48 h in serum-free, chemically defined medium. Granulosa cells were cultured with LH alone or in combination with PGs to determine if these hormones act directly at granulosa cells to induce the production of factors implicated in periovulatory processes. LH treatment increased media progesterone (p < 0.05) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; p < 0.05) levels as well as stimulating expression of mRNAs for MMP-1 (p = 0.05), MMP-9 (p < 0.05), and TIMP-1 (p < 0.05), similar to the effects of an ovulatory dose of gonadotropin in vivo. PGE2 alone elevated media progesterone levels but decreased LH stimulation of MMP- 1 mRNA (p < 0.05). PGF2alpha reduced LH-stimulated TIMP-1 mRNA (p < 0.05) levels. These studies suggest a direct action of LH on granulosa cells to stimulate the processes involved in tissue remodeling and neovascularization, i.e., MMPs/TIMPs and angiogenic factors, as well as steroidogenesis. LH-stimulated PGs may have a regulatory role to modulate some effects of the LH surge, such as MMP/TIMP expression.
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PMID:Luteinizing hormone acts directly at granulosa cells to stimulate periovulatory processes: modulation of luteinizing hormone effects by prostaglandins. 1470 98

This study examined whether retarded angiogenesis in a hypertension animal model was associated with impaired VEGF signaling. Furthermore, we sought to determine whether this impairment could be overcome by VEGF addition. Using a rat sponge implantation model, we confirmed impaired angiogenesis in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs). Fourteen days after sponge implantation, the level of angiogenesis in SHRs was approximately half of those in age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto or Sprague-Dawley rats. Significantly, expression of kinase-insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) and membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) was reduced in SHRs compared to controls. Immunohistological analysis indicated endothelial proliferation was decreased in SHRs. Gene transfer of human VEGF(121) increased KDR and MT1-MMP expression in SHRs. VEGF(121) also up-regulated endothelial proliferation and angiogenesis. Our results indicate down-regulated KDR and MT1-MMP expression is associated with an impaired angiogenesis in SHRs. VEGF gene transfer is effective in ameliorating the impaired angiogenesis in SHRs.
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PMID:Impaired angiogenesis in SHR is associated with decreased KDR and MT1-MMP expression. 1476 16


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