Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.3 (collagenase)
 18,340 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Keratoconus is a noninflammatory corneal disorder characterized by gradual stromal thinning and astigmatism. Altered degradation of corneal extracellular matrix is a suggested etiology for this disorder. In the present study we established keratocyte cultures from normal and keratoconus corneas and investigated the roles that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP, TIMP-2) may play. After chemical modification (reduction and alkylation) to remove the inhibitor and activation of enzyme with p-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA), keratoconus-conditioned media displayed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the total potential gelatinolytic activity when compared with normal culture media treated in a similar manner. Basal levels of gelatinolytic activity in keratoconus culture media (no reduction, alkylation, or APMA treatment), determined by two different assay methods, tended to be about twice that of normal cell cultures. By zymography, both keratoconus and normal cultures showed identical enzyme patterns, which represented MMP-2 (72 kDa) in its proform and, depending on the treatment of the media, varying amounts of activated MMP-2 (65 kDa). This suggests that the increased gelatinolytic activity in keratoconus was not correlated with an increased appearance of either the 65-kDa-activated form of MMP-2 or a new MMP species. In addition, no differences in the amount of MMP-2 were detected that could account for the increased activities in keratoconus cultures. However, a relative decline in the detectable TIMP levels in keratoconus cultures resulted in an apparent three-fold increase in the ratio of MMP-2/TIMP. Northern blots showed no significant changes in mRNA levels for MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, TIMP, or TIMP-2. These data suggest that a possible alteration in the interaction between MMP-2 and TIMP may play a role in the increased gelatinolytic activity seen in keratoconus tissues.
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PMID:Increased gelatinolytic activity in keratoconus keratocyte cultures. A correlation to an altered matrix metalloproteinase-2/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ratio. 815 82

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) collagenase, gelatinase A (72 kDa gelatinase), stromelysin, and their specific inhibitor TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases), were immunolocalized using specific polyclonal antisera in gingival tissues from 21 patients with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease. Monoclonal antibodies against macrophages (Leu-M5), B cells (Leu-14), helper T cells (OKT4), suppressor T cells (OKT8) and the HLA-DR epitope were also used to identify leukocyte subsets. MMPs were observed in connective tissues at sites that histologically showed signs of remodelling. The number and distribution of positive cells varied widely, however, not only between individual biopsy specimens, but also within the same specimen. The same was true for the composition and distribution of the inflammatory cell infiltrate. Moreover, although there was a positive correlation between the number of MMP-producing cells and the severity of inflammation in some specimens, for others with comparable leukocyte subset scoring the number was reduced and sometimes absent altogether. Cells secreting MMPs were fibroblasts, macrophages and epithelial cells. It was not possible to determine unequivocally whether a MMP-positive cell within the connective tissue was a fibroblast or a macrophage, since the antisera recognise both fibroblast and macrophage MMPs and the different fixation requirements for MMPs (4% paraformaldehyde) and Leu-M5 (acetone) precluded co-localization on the same section. TIMP-1 was immunolocalized within connective tissue cells at sites of tissue remodelling. Our results support the hypothesis that tissue-derived MMPs may be involved in tissue remodelling in periodontal disease and conclusively demonstrate that epithelial cells may be involved as well as connective tissue cells.
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PMID:Immunolocalization of matrix metalloproteinases and TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases) in human gingival tissues from periodontitis patients. 815

Heparin inhibits the migration and proliferation of arterial smooth muscle cells and modifies the extracellular matrix. These effects may be the result of heparin's effects on proteinases that degrade the matrix. We have previously reported that heparin inhibits the induction of tissue-type plasminogen activator and interstitial collagenase mRNA. We have investigated the possibility that heparin affects other members of the matrix metalloproteinase family. Phorbol ester increased the levels of mRNA of collagenase, 92-kD gelatinase and stromelysin as well as the synthesis of these proteins. These effects were inhibited by heparin, but not by other glycosaminoglycans, in a dose-dependent manner. The induction of these matrix metalloproteinases was also inhibited by staurosporine and pretreatment with phorbol ester indicating the involvement of the protein kinase C pathway. In contrast, the 72-kD gelatinase was expressed constitutively and was not affected by phorbol ester or heparin. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 was expressed constitutively and was slightly increased by phorbol ester. It was not affected by heparin. Thus, heparin inhibits the production of four proteinases (tissue plasminogen activator, collagenase, stromelysin and 92-kD gelatinase) that form an interdependent system capable of degrading all the major components of the extracellular matrix.
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PMID:Heparin inhibits the induction of three matrix metalloproteinases (stromelysin, 92-kD gelatinase, and collagenase) in primate arterial smooth muscle cells. 818 30

Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have been implicated in the metastasis of tumor cells, but no direct evidence linking any given member of the MMP family to metastatic behavior has been presented. Rat embryo cells transformed by the Ha-ras and v-myc oncogenes or by Ha-ras alone are metastatic in nude mice and release the 92-kDa gelatinase/collagenase (MMP-9), whereas those transformed by Ha-ras plus the adenovirus E1A gene are not metastatic and do not release MMP-9. Here we demonstrate that MMP-9 expression can be induced in these tumorigenic but nonmetastatic rat cells by transfection with an MMP-9 expression vector. Transfection of a MMP-9 expression vector, but not control DNAs, conferred metastatic capacity on the nonmetastatic cells. The majority of colonies isolated after continued passage either in vivo or in vitro had lost the MMP-9 expression vector. However, occasional cells were isolated from metastases which retained MMP-9 expression after passage. These cells retained metastatic capacity. In contrast, cells isolated after losing MMP-9 expression also lost the ability to metastasize. These results provide direct evidence that MMP-9 has a role in tumor metastasis.
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PMID:Direct evidence linking expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (92-kDa gelatinase/collagenase) to the metastatic phenotype in transformed rat embryo cells. 818 3

A cDNA coding for a new human matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) has been cloned from a cDNA library derived from a breast tumor. The isolated cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 471 amino acids. The predicted protein sequence displays extensive similarity to the previously known MMPs and presents all the structural features characteristic of the members of this protein family, including the well conserved PRCGXPD motif, involved in the latency of the enzyme and the zinc-binding domain (HEXGHXXXXXHS). In addition, this novel human MMP contains in its amino acid sequence several residues specific to the collagenase subfamily (Tyr-214, Asp-235, and Gly-237) and lacks the 9-residue insertion present in the stromelysins. According to these structural characteristics, the MMP described herein has been tentatively called collagenase-3, since it represents the third member of this subfamily, composed at present of fibroblast and neutrophil collagenases. The collagenase-3 cDNA was expressed in a vaccinia virus system, and the recombinant protein was able to degrade fibrillar collagens, providing support to the hypothesis that the isolated cDNA codes for an authentic collagenase. Northern blot analysis of RNA from normal and pathological tissues demonstrated the existence in breast tumors of three different mRNA species, which seem to be the result of the utilization of different polyadenylation sites present in the 3'-noncoding region of the gene. By contrast, no collagenase-3 mRNA was detected either by Northern blot or RNA polymerase chain reaction analysis with RNA from other human tissues, including normal breast, mammary fibroadenomas, liver, placenta, ovary, uterus, prostate, and parotid gland. On the basis of the increased expression of collagenase-3 in breast carcinomas and the absence of detectable expression in normal tissues, a possible role for this metalloproteinase in the tumoral process is proposed.
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PMID:Molecular cloning and expression of collagenase-3, a novel human matrix metalloproteinase produced by breast carcinomas. 820

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) play an important role in the regulation of the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as collagenase, stromelysin and gelatinase. Although it has been shown that upon culturing bone tissue releases relatively large amounts of TIMP, little is known as to the source of the inhibitor. In an attempt to investigate this in more detail calvarial bone explants from young rabbits were cultured in serum-free medium. The explants were cultured with or without adhering periosteum. In some experiments solitary periosteal fragments were maintained in the absence of bone. Media were analyzed for the presence of TIMP by immunoblotting and ELISA as well as for their capacity to inhibit the activity of collagenase. In addition, TIMP was immunolocalized in cryosections of the explants. The data demonstrated that bone-conditioned medium contained significantly more (2-10 times) collagenase inhibitor than periosteum-conditioned medium. Removal of the (convex and/or concave) periosteum from the calvariae did not significantly affect the amount of inhibitor released. Immunoblots and ELISA showed the presence of TIMP in the media, being more in bone- than in periosteum-conditioned medium. In immunolabeled cryosections TIMP appeared to be present in osteoblast-like cells lining both the outer bone surface as well as the endosteal spaces. Label was also found in a number of osteocyte lacunae. The periosteum was almost negative. It is suggested that TIMP contributes to the regulation of MMP-activity involved in the remodeling and turnover of bone.
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PMID:The release of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases by calvarial bone explants and its immunolocalization. 821 37

Interstitial collagenase, a matrix metalloproteinase, is known to be actively involved in remodeling of cutaneous tissues including those affected by trauma, neoplasia, and inflammation. Conversely, collagenase activity is blocked by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP). Because both collagenase and TIMP are rapidly secreted into the extracellular matrix, their sites of synthesis remain ambiguous. To determine the site and sequence of collagenase and TIMP expression in cutaneous wound repair, we examined partial and full thickness excisions of human burn wounds representing days 2 to 34 postinjury. Prominent labeling for collagenase and TIMP was detected in epithelial cells at the burn margin and at the edges of surviving hair follicles and eccrine sweat structures in the wound bed. Within the dermis, cells expressing collagenase and TIMP were at first perivascular in location and later appeared at the interface zone between viable and nonviable dermis. A diversity of cell types including macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and keratinocytes appeared to express mRNAs for collagenase and TIMP. Little if any labeling was detected in necrotic regions, in adjacent nonwounded dermis, or epidermis. Our data indicate that collagenase and TIMP are temporally and spatially regulated during cutaneous wound repair.
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PMID:Localization of mRNAs representing collagenase and TIMP in sections of healing human burn wounds. 825 54

Chick embryo has been used as a model system for evaluating the metastatic potential of tumor cells. We have previously demonstrated that expression of the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-I (TIMP-I) gene can suppress liver colonization of tumor cels in chick embryo, probably by inhibiting the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) produced by tumor cells. In an attempt to identify MMP associated with liver colonization, we examined 24 human tumor cell lines for their potential to form metastatic colonies in chick-embryo liver after the cells had been inoculated into the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) vein. We compared the results with the mRNA expression of MMP (MMP-I, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9) studied previously. Three of 8 cell lines from mesenchymal tumors (fibrosarcoma HT1080, osteosarcomas SK-ES and MNNG/HOS) and 2 of 16 cell lines from epithelial tumors (gastric carcinoma KKLS and bladder carcinoma T24) proliferated in the livers. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were the enzymes whose transcripts were more frequently expressed in these 5 metastatic cell lines (MMP-1; 2/5, MMP-2; 4/5, MMP-3; 0/5, MMP-9; 3/5), but other cell lines that did not form liver colonies expressed the transcripts at lower frequency (MMP-2; 7/19, MMP-9; 3/19). Although either or both MMP-2 and MMP-9 transcripts were expressed in 4 of the 5 metastatic cell lines, they were undetectable in T24 cells. However, induced expression of both enzymes was detected by immunostaining in the T24 cells colonized in the liver. Thus, type-IV collagenases expressed by tumor cells may play a role in facilitating colonization in chick embryos.
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PMID:Expression of type-IV collagenases in human tumor cell lines that can form liver colonies in chick embryos. 826 76

The matrix metalloproteinase enzymes have been implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis by a series of correlative immunohistochemical studies. In addition, direct evidence for the role of these enzymes in this pathologic process comes from studies using specific metalloproteinase inhibitors to block tumor invasion and metastasis formation, both in vitro and in vivo. Synthetic oligonucleotide primers for four metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-10) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) were selected, synthesized, and optimized in the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to study the qualitative profile of these enzymes and inhibitors in cultured human tumor cells and tumor tissues. These primers are specific and generate unique amplification products for each appropriate enzyme and inhibitor. Slight enhancement in the amplification of cDNA products was achieved by adding dimethylsulfoxide to the reaction mixture, but commercial enhancement reagents were ineffective. Using this RT-PCR method, cDNA amplification was successful with RNA from as few as 20 cultured tumor cells. The RT-PCR analysis was done on three invasive human colon adenocarcinomas and their paired adjacent normal mucosa. The results show MMP-1 and MMP-2 products in all three tumors, and MMP-2 detected in one of the three normal mucosa samples; TIMP-2 expression was present in two of three patients and awaits quantitative assessment of RT-PCR products.
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PMID:Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction phenotyping of metalloproteinases and inhibitors involved in tumor matrix invasion. 826 80

Collagenase is a zinc-dependent endoproteinase and is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of enzymes. The MMPs participate in connective tissue remodeling events and aberrant regulation has been associated with several pathologies. The 2.4 angstrom resolution structure of the inhibited enzyme revealed that, in addition to the catalytic zinc, there is a second zinc ion and a calcium ion which play a major role in stabilizing the tertiary structure of collagenase. Despite scant sequence homology, collagenase shares structural homology with two other endoproteinases, bacterial thermolysin and crayfish astacin. The detailed description of protein-inhibitor interactions present in the structure will aid in the design of compounds that selectively inhibit individual members of the MMP family. Such inhibitors will be useful in examining the function of MMPs in pathological processes.
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PMID:Structure of the catalytic domain of fibroblast collagenase complexed with an inhibitor. 827 10


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