Serum levels and tissue expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2) in colorectal cancer patients. Tumour Biol. 2014;35:3793-3802. [PMID: 24395652 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-013-1502-8]

Emerging paradigms in cancer cell plasticity

Cancer cells metastasize to distant organs by altering their characteristics within the tumor microenvironment (TME) to effectively overcome challenges during the multistep tumorigenesis. Plasticity endows cancer cell with the capacity to shift between different morphological states to invade, disseminate, and seed metastasis. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a theory derived from tissue biopsy, which explains the acquisition of EMT transcription factors (TFs) that convey mesenchymal features during cancer migration and invasion. On the other hand, adherent-to-suspension transition (AST) is an emerging theory derived from liquid biopsy, which describes the acquisition of hematopoietic features by AST-TFs that reprograms anchorage dependency during the dissemination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The induction and plasticity of EMT and AST dynamically reprogram cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix interaction during cancer dissemination and colonization. Here, we review the mechanisms governing cellular plasticity of AST and EMT during the metastatic cascade and discuss therapeutic challenges posed by these two morphological adaptations to provide insights for establishing new therapeutic interventions. [BMB Reports 2024; 57(6): 273-280].

Impact of Thermo-Responsive N-Acetylcysteine Hydrogel on Dermal Wound Healing and Oral Ulcer Regeneration

This study investigates the efficacy of a thermo-responsive N-acetylcysteine (NAC) hydrogel on wound healing and oral ulcer recovery. Formulated by combining NAC with methylcellulose, the hydrogel's properties were assessed for temperature-induced gelation and cell viability using human fibroblast cells. In vivo experiments on Sprague Dawley rats compared the hydrogel's effects against saline, NAC solution, and a commercial NAC product. Results show that a 5% NAC and 1% methylcellulose solution exhibited optimal outcomes. While modest improvements in wound healing were observed, significant enhancements were noted in oral ulcer recovery, with histological analyses indicating fully regenerated mucosal tissue. The study concludes that modifying viscosity enhances NAC retention, facilitating tissue regeneration. These findings support previous research on the beneficial effects of antioxidant application on damaged tissues, suggesting the potential of NAC hydrogels in improving wound care and oral ulcer treatment.

TIMP-2 as a predictive biomarker in 5-Fu-resistant colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

This study aims to evaluate the value of tissue inhibitors of MMPs-2 (TIMP-2) to indicate 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) resistance status in colorectal cancer.

METHODS

The 5-Fu resistance of colorectal cancer cell lines was detected using Cell-Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and calculated using IC50. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect TIMP-2 expression level in the culture supernatant and serum. Twenty-two colorectal cancer patients' TIMP-2 levels and clinical characteristics were analyzed before and after chemotherapy. Additionally, the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of 5-Fu resistance was used to evaluate the feasibility of TIMP-2 as a predictive biomarker of 5-Fu resistance.

RESULTS

Our experimental results display that TIMP-2 expression is elevated in colorectal cancer drug-resistant cell lines, and its expression level is closely related to 5-Fu resistance. Moreover, TIMP-2 in colorectal cancer patient serum undergoing 5-Fu-based chemotherapy could indicate their drug resistance status, and its efficacy is higher than CEA and CA19-9. Finally, PDX model animal experiments reveal that TIMP-2 can detect 5-Fu resistance in colorectal cancer earlier than tumor volume.

CONCLUSION

TIMP-2 is a good indicator of 5-Fu resistance in colorectal cancer. Monitoring the serum TIMP-2 level can help the clinician identify 5-Fu resistance in colorectal cancer patients earlier during chemotherapy.

Role of matrix metalloproteinase in wound healing

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of endopeptidases that play a vital role in the restoration of damaged skin. Through mediating various cellular events such as angiogenesis and vasodilation, MMPs are very crucial for the mechanism of wound healing. These enzymes are endopeptidases that are reliant on zinc which are concealed through the extracellular matrix (ECM). MMPs have different targets in different phases of wound healing through which they are capable of promoting timely healing in the body. This review discusses all the possible role of MMPs and their inhibitors that are involved during every step of the wound healing process. This review highlights the latest advances in the respective field about the regulation and mediation of MMPs in human skin and how these studies can be applied to other branches of medical sciences as well. Published papers were searched via MEDLINE, PubMed and MDPI from the available peer reviewed journals. Research done in the past suggests that active MMPs are involved in the healing progression of the wounds or they have a positive effect towards healing of wounds. Present studies in the relative field will further enhance the knowledge about enzymes working along with their inhibitors. These studies will help in a way to resolve some of the parameters that are necessary for modulating them either positively or negatively.

A dual crosslinked hydrogel-mediated integrated peptides and BMSC therapy for myocardial regeneration

The efficacy of myocardial regeneration strategies for myocardial infarction (MI) is significantly compromised by the complex structure and microenvironment of the myocardium. Although tissue engineering strategies based on cell therapy and/or pro-angiogenesis can somewhat improve cardiac function, the lack of proper myocardial materials that can withstand sustained deformability and adaptable mechanical properties severely affects myocardial wall integrity, systolic-diastolic cycles, and regeneration. Herein, we developed an integrated single "all-in-one" in situ dual crosslinking conductive hydrogel with favorable treatment properties termed as MaHA/B-G-SH/Fe³⁺ by ionic interactions and chemical covalency based on modified hyaluronic acid (HA), gelatin (G), and Fe³⁺. The resulting dual crosslinking dynamic hydrogel not only provides self-healing and mechanical properties adapted to the myocardial systolic-diastolic cycle with simultaneous electrical signal transmission to fibrous islands and normal tissue, but also leads to significant increase of the myocardial wall thickness very close to that of normal myocardium upon one single injection with complete degradation within 28 days. Notably, the hydrogel covalently conjugated with a tailored peptide sequence of GGR-KLT and encapsulated with bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) was further used for in situ injection in a rat MI model, which exhibited (i) efficient inhibition of excessive matrix degradation dependent on early MMP-2 expression, (ii) triggered on-demand release of KLT for at least 14 days and significant promotion of angiogenesis, and (iii) synergistic BMSCs considerably enhanced myocardial regeneration within 28 days. Taken together, the dual crosslinking conductive hydrogel-mediated synergistic peptide and cell therapy provides comprehensive recovery and regeneration of the structure and function of the injured myocardium, thus demonstrating great potential for clinical translations.

TIMP-2 regulates 5-Fu resistance via the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway in colorectal cancer

5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is the first-line chemotherapeutic option for colorectal cancer. However, its efficacy is inhibited by drug resistance. Cytokines play an important role in tumor drug resistance, even though their mechanisms are largely unknown. Using a cytokine array, we established that tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) is highly expressed in 5-Fu resistant colorectal cancer patients. Analysis of samples from 84 patients showed that elevated TIMP-2 expression levels in colorectal patients were correlated with poor prognostic outcomes. In a 5-Fu-resistant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, TIMP-2 was also found to be highly expressed. We established an autocrine mechanism through which elevated TIMP-2 protein levels sustained colorectal cancer cell resistance to 5-Fu by constitutively activating the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Inhibition of TIMP-2 using an anti-TIMP-2 antibody or ERK/MAPK inhibition by U0126 suppressed TIMP-2 mediated 5-Fu-resistance in CRC patients. In conclusion, a novel TIMP-2-ERK/MAPK mediated 5-Fu resistance mechanism is involved in colorectal cancer. Therefore, targeting TIMP-2 or ERK/MAPK may provide a new strategy to overcome 5-Fu resistance in colorectal cancer chemotherapy.

Insights into the Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Precancerous Conditions and in Colorectal Cancer

Simple Summary

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer worldwide. CRC is derived from polyps and many factors, such as Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) can gain the progression of colorectal carcinogenesis. Many investigations have indicated the role of MMPs in CRC development while there is not enough knowledge about the function of MMPs in precancerous conditions. This review summarizes the current information about the role of MMPs in polyps and CRC progression.

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third and second cancer for incidence and mortality worldwide, respectively, and is becoming prevalent in developing countries. Most CRCs derive from polyps, especially adenomatous polyps, which can gradually transform into CRC. The family of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) plays a critical role in the initiation and progression of CRC. Prominent MMPs, including MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-12, MMP-13, MMP-14, and MMP-21, have been detected in CRC patients, and the expression of most of them correlates with a poor prognosis. Moreover, many studies have explored the inhibition of MMPs and targeted therapy for CRC, but there is not enough information about the role of MMPs in polyp malignancy. In this review, we discuss the role of MMPs in colorectal cancer and its pathogenesis

Modular Design of Supramolecular Ionic Peptides with Cell-Selective Membrane Activity

The rational design of materials with cell-selective membrane activity is an effective strategy for the development of targeted molecular imaging and therapy. Here we report a new class of cationic multidomain peptides (MDPs) that can undergo enzyme-mediated molecular transformation followed by supramolecular assembly to form nanofibers in which cationic clusters are presented on a rigid β-sheet backbone. This structural transformation, which is induced by cells overexpressing the specific enzymes, led to a shift in the membrane perturbation potential of the MDPs, and consequently enhanced cell uptake and drug delivery efficacy. We envision the directed self-assembly based on modularly designed MDPs as a highly promising approach to generate dynamic supramolecular nanomaterials with emerging membrane activity for a range of disease targeted molecular imaging and therapy applications.

CCR10/CCL27 crosstalk regulates cell metastasis via PI3K-Akt signaling axis in non-small-cell lung cancer

Previous research has shown that CCR10 acts as a vital oncogene in the progression of multiple malignancies. However, its effect on the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been investigated. Current research examined the effect of CCR10 on the cellular survival and migration of NSCLC, and the modulation of cell death and found that the expression levels of CCR10 and CCL27 (ligand) were highly upregulated in human NSCLC tissue and cell lines, A549 and H157, compared with adjacent normal lung specimens. MTT and colony formation assays revealed that the blockage of CCR10 inhibited the multiplication and survival of A549 and H157 cells. Further study showed that metastasis-relevant VEGF-C/D, MMP-2/9, TIMP-1/2 were also regulated via CCR10 activation. Notably, increased NF-κB levels were detected in cells with activated CCR10, whereas the levels of NF-κB decreased in cells with blocked CCR10. Finally, the recovery of NF-κB expression counteracted the suppressive influence of CCR10 blockage on NSCLC cell survival, migration, and invasion. These results improved our knowledge understanding the molecular mechanisms of CCR10-CCL27 in progression of NSCLC.

Biodegradable Small-Scale Swimmers for Biomedical Applications

Most forms of biomatter are ephemeral, which means they transform or deteriorate after a certain time. From this perspective, implantable healthcare devices designed for temporary treatments should exhibit the ability to degrade and either blend in with healthy tissues, or be cleared from the body with minimal disruption after accomplishing their designated tasks. This topic is currently being investigated in the field of biomedical micro- and nanoswimmers. These tiny devices have the ability to move through fluids by converting physical or chemical energy into motion. Several architectures of these devices have been designed to mimic the motion strategies of nature's motile microorganisms and cells. Due to their motion abilities, these devices have been proposed as minimally invasive tools for precision healthcare applications. Hence, a natural progression in this field is to produce motile structures that can adopt, or even surpass, similar transient features as biological systems. The fate of small-scale swimmers after accomplishing their therapeutic mission is critical for the successful translation of small-scale swimmers' technologies into clinical applications. In this review, recent research efforts are summarized on the topic of biodegradable micro- and nanoswimmers for biomedical applications, with a focus on targeted therapeutic delivery.

Circulating Biomarkers of Colorectal Cancer (CRC)-Their Utility in Diagnosis and Prognosis

The global burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) is expected to increase, with 2.2 million new cases and 1.1 million annual deaths by 2030. Therefore, the establishment of novel biomarkers useful in the early diagnosis of CRC is of utmost importance. A number of publications have documented the significance of the overexpression of several specific proteins, such as inflammatory mediators, in CRC progression. However, little is known about the potential utility of these proteins as circulating blood tumor biomarkers of CRC. Therefore, in the present review we report the results of our previous original studies as well as the findings of other authors who investigated whether inflammatory mediators might be used as novel biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. Our study revealed that among all of the tested proteins, serum M-CSF, CXCL-8, IL-6 and TIMP-1 have the greatest value in the diagnosis and progression of CRC. Serum TIMP-1 is useful in differentiating between CRC and colorectal adenomas, whereas M-CSF and CRP are independent prognostic factors for the survival of patients with CRC. This review confirms the promising significance of these proteins as circulating biomarkers for CRC. However, due to their non-specific nature, further validation of their sensitivity and specificity is required.

Targeting the crosstalk between canonical Wnt/β-catenin and inflammatory signaling cascades: A novel strategy for cancer prevention and therapy

Emerging scientific evidence indicates that inflammation is a critical component of tumor promotion and progression. Most cancers originate from sites of chronic irritation, infections and inflammation, underscoring that the tumor microenvironment is largely orchestrated by inflammatory cells and pro-inflammatory molecules. These inflammatory components are intimately involved in neoplastic processes which foster proliferation, survival, invasion, and migration, making inflammation the primary target for cancer prevention and treatment. The influence of inflammation and the immune system on the progression and development of cancer has recently gained immense interest. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, an evolutionarily conserved signaling strategy, has a critical role in regulating tissue development. It has been implicated as a major player in cancer development and progression with its regulatory role on inflammatory cascades. Many naturally-occurring and small synthetic molecules endowed with inherent anti-inflammatory properties inhibit this aberrant signaling pathway, making them a promising class of compounds in the fight against inflammatory cancers. This article analyzes available scientific evidence and suggests a crosslink between Wnt/β-catenin signaling and inflammatory pathways in inflammatory cancers, especially breast, gastrointestinal, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. We also highlight emerging experimental findings that numerous anti-inflammatory synthetic and natural compounds target the crosslink between Wnt/β-catenin pathway and inflammatory cascades to achieve cancer prevention and intervention. Current challenges, limitations, and future directions of research are also discussed.

Key biomarkers within the colorectal cancer related inflammatory microenvironment

Therapeutic approaches focused on the inflammatory microenvironment are currently gaining more support, as biomolecules involved in the inflammatory colorectal cancer (CRC) tumor microenvironment are being explored. We analyzed tumor and paired normal tissue samples from CRC patients (n = 22) whom underwent tumor resection surgery. We assessed 39 inflammation-involved biomolecules (multiplex magnetic bead-based immunoassay), CEA and CA19-9 (ELISA assay) and the tissue expression levels of occludin and also pErk, STAT1 and STAT3 transcriptional factors (western blot). Tumor staging has been established by histopathological evaluation of HE stained tumor tissue sections. We report 32 biomarkers displaying statistically significant differences in tumor vs. control. Additionally, positive statistical biomarker correlations were found between MMP2–IL8 and BAFF–IL8 (Pearson correlation coefficients > 0.751), while APRIL–MMP2, APRIL–BAFF and APRIL–IL8 were negatively correlated (correlation coefficients < − 0.650). While APRIL, BAFF, IL8 and MMP2 did not modulate with tumor stage, they were inversely related to the immune infiltrate level and CD163 tissue expression. We conclude that the significantly decreased APRIL and increased BAFF, IL8 and MMP2 expression were tumor-specific and deserve consideration in the development of new treatments. Also, the positive correlation between Chitinase 3-like 1 and IL8 (0.57) or MMP2 (0.50) suggest a role in tumor growth and metastasis pathways.

Collagen type VIII alpha 2 chain (COL8A2), an important component of the basement membrane of the corneal endothelium, facilitates the malignant development of glioblastoma cells via inducing EMT

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most lethal tumor of all human cancers. Due to its poor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as its high rate of recurrence after treatment, the treatment is still undesired. The identification of potential related genes and bio-markers in the development of GBM could provide some new targets for the treatment of GBM. Our purpose in this study was to evaluate the mission of COL8A2 in GBM. Combined with TCGA, Oncomine databases, CGGA, GEPIA website and qRT-PCR analyses, we found that COL8A2 was up-regulated both in GBM tissues and cells compared to the controls. Moreover, the high COL8A2 expression was associated with the shorter overall survival of patients with GBM. The expression of COL8A2 was also positively correlated with metastasis-associated genes including vimentin, snail, slug, MMP2 and MMP7 according to GEPIA website. Knockdown of COL8A2 could suppress the cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion, whereas the overexpression of COL8A2 significantly expedited these processes. What's more, the outcome of western blot analysis manifested that COL8A2 could induced the expression of vimentin, snail, slug, MMP2 and MMP7. Taken together, COL8A2 activated cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion via raising the relative expression of EMT-related proteins in GBM. Therefore, our investigation suggests the oncogenic role of COL8A2 in GBM and provides a potential application of COL8A2 for GBM therapy.

TIMP-2 inhibits metastasis and predicts prognosis of colorectal cancer via regulating MMP-9

Colorectal cancer has a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is urgent to detect reliable biomarkers to predict prognosis in CRC. Here, we determined the expression of TIMP-2 and MMP-9 in a  CRC tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry. We found that lower TIMP-2 or/and higher MMP-9 expression in cancer tissues was correlated with poorer overall survival (OS). TIMP-2 or MMP-9 expression was independent prognostic factors for CRC. Furthermore, TIMP-2 and MMP-9 expression had a synergistic role as efficient prognostic indicators for CRC patients. In vitro and in vivo, TIMP-2 could inhibit HCT 116 cells invasion and migration by regulating MMP-9. In sum, a combined expression of TIMP-2 and MMP-9 as efficient prognostic indicators was found for the first time.

Silencing PARG decreases invasion in CT26 cells

In this study we investigated the effect of poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) deficiency on the ability of invasion in CT26 murine colon carcinoma cell and its possible mechanism. We examined the effects of PARG protein knockdown by RNA interference on invasion, migration, and matrix adhesion of colon carcinoma CT26 cell line in vitro and using a murine model of liver metastasis in vivo to observe the average survival time. The expression of integrin-β1, matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) and matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) was detected by western blot. The activities of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in various group supernatants were measured by zymography. We observed that PARG silencing caused a significant decrease in the number of CT26 cells that adhered to fibronectin (P < 0.5) and invaded to the lower surface of the membrane (P < 0.5). The expression of integrin-β1, MMP-9, and matrix MMP-2 in CT26 cells of the PARG-shRNA group was lower than that of two control groups (P < 0.5). Similar results were observed in the activities of MMP-9 and MMP-2 in various group supernatants (P < 0.5). The average survival time of BALB/c mice with spleen-transplanted PARG-shRNA CT26 tumors was longer compared with control groups (P < 0.05). To conclude, PARG silencing can inhibit the adhesive and invasive abilities of CT26 cells and delay liver metastasis in a mouse model, which might be useful for therapeutic purposes in CRC patients with distant metastasis.

Enzyme-induced in vivo assembly of gold nanoparticles for imaging-guided synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy of tumor

This article describes a nanoplatform based on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-responsive gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for tumor-targeted photoacoustic (PA) imaging-guided photothermal therapy and drug delivery. AuNPs were grafted with complementary DNA strands, tethered with doxorubicin and coated with poly(ethylene glycol) via a thermal-labile linker and a MMP-cleavable peptide, respectively. The nanoprobes remained well-isolated in healthy tissues, but formed aggregates rapidly under MMP-abundant conditions. The DNA hybridization-induced assembly of the nanoprobes led to prolonged tumor retention and strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, which is beneficial to deep-tissue imaging and therapy. Compared with MMP-inert nanoprobes, our platform demonstrated significantly enhanced efficiency in PA imaging and photothermal conversion upon NIR irradiation. Meanwhile, doxorubicin could be released rapidly in response to the localized elevation of temperature, leading to synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy. The unique nanoplatform may find applications in effective disease control by delivering imaging and therapy to tumors with high specificity, safety, and universality.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2: Not (just) a "hero" of the past

The 72-kDa type IV collagenase or gelatinase A is the second member of the matrix metalloproteinase family, MMP-2. Since the discovery of its first two substrates within components of the extracellular matrix, denatured interstitial type I collagen and native type IV collagen, the roles and various levels of regulation of MMP-2 have been intensively studied, mainly in vitro. Its (over)expression in most if not all tumors was considered a hallmark of cancer aggressiveness and boosted investigations aiming at its inhibition. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm subsided like a soufflé after clinical trial failures, mostly because of insufficient knowledge of in vivo MMP-2 activities and detrimental side effects of broad-spectrum MMP inhibition. Nowadays, MMP-2 remains a major topic of interest in research, the second in the MMP family after MMP-9. This review presents a broad overview of the major features of this protease. This knowledge is crucial to identify diagnostic or therapeutic strategies focusing on MMP-2. In this sense, recent publications and clinical trials underline the potential value of measuring circulating or tissular MMP-2 levels as diagnostic or prognostic tools, or as a useful secondary outcome for therapies against other primary targets. Direct MMP-2 inhibition has benefited from substantial progress in the design of more specific inhibitors but their in vivo application remains challenging but certainly worth the efforts it receives.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Build and Secure the Tumor Microenvironment

Tumor cells reside in a highly complex and heterogeneous tumor microenvironment (TME), which is composed of a myriad of genetically stable non-cancer cells, including fibroblasts, immune cells, endothelial cells, and epithelial cells, and a tumor-specific extracellular matrix (ECM). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), as an abundant and active stromal cell population in the TME, function as the signaling center and remodeling machine to aid the creation of a desmoplastic tumor niche. Although there is no denial that the TME and CAFs may have anti-tumor effects as well, a great deal of findings reported in recent years have convincingly revealed the tumor-promoting effects of CAFs and CAF-derived ECM proteins, enzymes, chemical factors and other downstream effectors. While there is growing enthusiasm for the development of CAF-targeting therapies, a better understanding of the complexities of CAF-ECM and CAF-cancer cell interactions is necessary before novel therapeutic strategies targeting the malignant tumor “soil” can be successfully implemented in the clinic.

3D-Printed Biodegradable Microswimmer for Theranostic Cargo Delivery and Release

Untethered mobile microrobots have the potential to leverage minimally invasive theranostic functions precisely and efficiently in hard-to-reach, confined, and delicate inner body sites. However, such a complex task requires an integrated design and engineering, where powering, control, environmental sensing, medical functionality, and biodegradability need to be considered altogether. The present study reports a hydrogel-based, magnetically powered and controlled, enzymatically degradable microswimmer, which is responsive to the pathological markers in its microenvironment for theranostic cargo delivery and release tasks. We design a double-helical architecture enabling volumetric cargo loading and swimming capabilities under rotational magnetic fields and a 3D-printed optimized 3D microswimmer (length = 20 μm and diameter = 6 μm) using two-photon polymerization from a magnetic precursor suspension composed from gelatin methacryloyl and biofunctionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. At normal physiological concentrations, we show that matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) enzyme could entirely degrade the microswimmer in 118 h to solubilized nontoxic products. The microswimmer rapidly responds to the pathological concentrations of MMP-2 by swelling and thereby boosting the release of the embedded cargo molecules. In addition to delivery of the drug type of therapeutic cargo molecules completely to the given microenvironment after full degradation, microswimmers can also release other functional cargos. As an example demonstration, anti-ErbB 2 antibody-tagged magnetic nanoparticles are released from the fully degraded microswimmers for targeted labeling of SKBR3 breast cancer cells in vitro toward a potential future scenario of medical imaging of remaining cancer tissue sites after a microswimmer-based therapeutic delivery operation.

Association of Matrix Metalloproteinase-7 Genotypes with the Risk of Bladder Cancer

BACKGROUND/AIM

The breakage of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been reported to be one of the mechanisms required for tumor invasion, and the expression of MMP-7 in serum is correlated with poor prognosis of urinary bladder cancer patients. However, the role of the MMP-7 genotypes has been seldom examined among bladder cancer patients. Therefore, this study aimed at examining the promoter polymorphic MMP-7 genotypes A-181G and C-153T among Taiwanese bladder cancer patients and evaluate the contribution of the genotypic variants of MMP-7 to bladder cancer risk in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and seventy-five bladder cancer patients and the same number of gender- and age-matched healthy controls were genotyped for A-181G and C-153T in the promoter of MMP-7 via polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology.

RESULTS

The frequencies of AA, AG and GG at A-181G of the promoter of MMP-7 were 89.1, 8.8 and 2.1% in the bladder cancer patient group and 87.5, 10.9 and 1.6% in the matched healthy control group, respectively (p for trend=0.5475). There was no polymorphic genotype for MMP-7 C-153T among the Taiwanese population. The comparisons in allelic frequency distribution also support the findings that the G allele may not be the determinant allele for bladder cancer in Taiwan. In addition, the results showed that there is no significant association of the bladder risk with the MMP-7 A-181G genotype, even after adjustment for the possible confounding factors. Furthermore, there is no interaction of the genotypes of MMP-7 with age, gender, smoking and alcohol consumption on bladder cancer risk.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that the two MMP-7 polymorphisms, - A-181G and C-153T, do not play a major role in determining personal susceptibility to bladder cancer in Taiwan.

[How to predict the relapse after surgery or radiofrequency of liver metastases of colorectal cancer? Interest of the serum kinetic variation of a matrix metalloproteinase cluster]

INTRODUCTION

Recurrence after liver surgery or radiofrequency is a clinical and biological challenge because it worsens the colorectal cancer prognosis. To date, no biomarker is yet validated to predict the recurrence in order to intensify adjuvant therapy for patients with higher risk. Matrix metalloproteinases play a major role in the metastasis dissemination and tumoral microenvironment and could be a potential biomarker of interest.

METHODS

Forty-four patients with liver metastasis treated by surgery or radiofrequency were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were monitored in Elisa after therapy and correlated to the recurrence from January 2004 to December 2007. After the curative treatment, patients were assessed for the recurence for two years by CT-scan and examination.

RESULTS

Post-operative serum level of MMP-9 was significantly higher between J0, J1 and J45 after liver surgery or radiofrequency (***P≤0.001). Level of MMP-2 was significantly increased at M3 and M6 (***P≤0.001) but does not appear to be a risk factor of liver recurrence. The level of TIMP-1 at J0 is a deleterious factor (HR=1.76, P=0.042*).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study wich correlates the post-operative level of 4 MMPs and TIMP-1 with the risk of liver recurrence after surgery or radiofrequency. Serum TIMP-1 level at J0 could be helpful to identify patients with higher risk but these results need to be confirmed in a large-scale study.

Functional profiling of circulating tumor cells with an integrated vortex capture and single-cell protease activity assay

Tumor cells are hypothesized to use proteolytic enzymes to facilitate invasion. Whether circulating tumor cells (CTCs) secrete these enzymes to aid metastasis is unknown. A quantitative and high-throughput approach to assay CTC secretion is needed to address this question. We developed an integrated microfluidic system that concentrates rare cancer cells >100,000-fold from 1 mL of whole blood into ∼50,000 2-nL drops composed of assay reagents within 15 min. The system isolates CTCs by size, exchanges fluid around CTCs to remove contaminants, introduces a matrix metalloprotease (MMP) substrate, and encapsulates CTCs into microdroplets. We found CTCs from prostate cancer patients possessed above baseline levels of MMP activity (1.7- to 200-fold). Activity of CTCs was generally higher than leukocytes from the same patient (average CTC/leukocyte MMP activity ratio, 2.6 ± 1.5). Higher MMP activity of CTCs suggests active proteolytic processes that may facilitate invasion or immune evasion and be relevant phenotypic biomarkers enabling companion diagnostics for anti-MMP therapies.

Human mast cells promote colon cancer growth via bidirectional crosstalk: studies in 2D and 3D coculture models

Chronic inflammation drives the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), where tumor-infiltrating immune cells interact with cancer cells in a dynamic crosstalk. Mast cells (MC), one of earliest recruited immune cells, accumulate in CRC tissues and their density is correlated with cancer progression. However, the exact contribution of MC in CRC and their interaction with colon cancer cells is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the impact of primary human MC and their mediators on colon cancer growth using 2D and 3D coculture models. Primary human MC were generated from peripheral CD34⁺ stem cells. Transwell chambers were used to analyze MC chemotaxis to colon cancer. Colon cancer cells HT29 and Caco2 differentially recruited MC by releasing CCL15 or SCF, respectively. Using BrdU proliferation assays, we demonstrated that MC can directly support colon cancer proliferation and this effect was mediated by their cellular crosstalk. 3D coculture models with cancer spheroids further confirmed the pro-tumor effect of MC on colon cancer growth, where direct cell-cell contact is dispensable and increased production of multiple soluble mediators was detected. Moreover, TLR2 stimulation of MC promoted stronger growth of colon cancer spheroids. By examining the transcriptome profile of colon cancer-cocultured MC versus control MC, we identified several MC marker genes, which were deregulated in expression. Our study provides an advanced in vitro model to investigate the role of human MC in cancer. Our data support the detrimental role of MC in CRC development and provide a molecular insight into the cellular crosstalk between MC and colon cancer cells.

TIMP2 is a Poor Prognostic Factor and Predicts Metastatic Biological Behavior in Gastric Cancer

To explore the prognostic related factors and mechanisms of gastric cancer (GC), we performed the systematic analysis with integrated bioinformatics tools based on multiple on-line datasets. With uni-variate COX analysis, we screened out 37 survival hazardous genes in GC. Further GO assays disclosed that the signatures related with extracellular matrix and structure, and the functions of "cell adhesion molecule binding" and "integrin binding" were the vital mechanisms of disease progression, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP2) was the potential biomarker for prognosis. Based on GSEA, GSVA and GCN, TIMP2 was demonstrated to interact with multiple integrin pathways and involve in the regulation of EMT, cell adhesion, and angiogenesis of GC. The associations of TIMP2 expression with reduced OS and RFS of patients were declared by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and further confirmed by 1000 internal bootstrap replications and external KM plotter analysis. With multi-variate COX regression and time-dependent ROC analysis, we validated the prediction independency and capacity of TIMP2 for prognosis. The relationships of TIMP2 with clinicopathological characteristics were also uncovered. Taken together, our findings identify TIMP2 as the novel candidate biomarker for poorer outcome of GC patients, and revealed the underlying functions of TIMP2 and the potential mechanisms for GC progression.

The Glycoproteomics-MS for Studying Glycosylation in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure

With recent advancements of analytical techniques and mass spectrometric instrumentations, proteomics has been widely exploited to study the regulation of protein expression associated with disease states. Many proteins may undergo abnormal change in response to the stimulants, leading to regulation of posttranslationally modified proteins. In this review, the physiological and pathological roles of protein glycosylation in cardiac hypertrophy is discussed, and how the signal pathways regulate heart function and leading to heart failure. The analytical methods for analysis of protein glycosylation, including glycans, glycosite, occupancy, and heterogeneity is emphasized. The rationale on glycoproteins as disease biomarkers is also discussed. The authors also propose potential research in this field and challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Speckle-Type POZ Protein Down-Regulates Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 Expression via Sp1/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Elevated expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is correlated with invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a previous study has suggested that speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) could inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration through down-regulation of MMP2 and MMP7, with a mechanism remaining unknown.

AIM

In this study, we, by using both CRC cells and normal colorectal cells, aimed to investigate the causal relationship between SPOP and MMP2, as well as the potential signaling pathways.

METHODS

The causal relationship between SPOP and MMP2 was determined by both RT-PCR and Western blot in cells with SPOP expression or siRNA interference. The signaling pathway involved in MMP2 down-regulation by SPOP was subsequently identified by determination on the expression and phosphorylation of key signaling pathway proteins. Transcription factor involving in this MMP2 regulation was identified by determination on expression, phosphorylation, and nuclear translocation of key transcription factors.

RESULTS

SPOP overexpression could significantly decrease MMP2 expression, while the knockdown of SPOP, in contrast, resulted in enhanced MMP2 level. Measurement of expression and phosphorylation of key signaling pathway proteins revealed that SPOP could inhibit PI3K and p-Akt level. Further tests on transcription factors showed that SPOP could inhibit SP1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation.

CONCLUSIONS

SPOP could down-regulate MMP2 expression in CRC, and this regulation is mediated by inhibiting SP1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our findings in this study provide understanding of MMP2 regulation in CRC and may also shed lights on the development of anti-CRC treatments.

MMP-Inhibitory Effects of Flavonoid Glycosides from Edible Medicinal Halophyte Limonium tetragonum

Limonium tetragonum has been well-known for its antioxidative properties as a halophyte. This study investigated the antimetastasis effect of solvent-partitioned L. tetragonum extracts (LTEs) and isolated compounds on HT1080 mouse melanoma cell model with a focus on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and TIMP and MAPK pathways. Upregulation and stimulation of MMPs result in elevated degradation of extracellular matrix which is part of several complications such as metastasis, cirrhosis, and arthritis. The anti-MMP capacity of LTEs was confirmed by their MMP-inhibitory effects, regulation of MMP and TIMP expression, and suppression of MAPK pathway. Among all tested LTEs, 85% aq. MeOH and n-BuOH were found to be most active fractions which later yielded two known flavonoid glycosides, myricetin 3-galactoside and quercetin 3-o-beta-galactopyranoside. Anti-MMP potential of the compounds was confirmed by their ability to regulate MMP expression through inhibited MAPK pathway activation. These results suggested that L. tetragonum might serve as a potential source of bioactive substances with effective anti-MMP properties.

Enzyme-Responsive LipoCEST Agents: Assessment of MMP-2 Activity by Measuring the Intra-liposomal Water 1 H NMR Shift

Mobile proton-containing solutes can be detected by MRI by the chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) method. CEST sensitivity is dramatically enhanced by using, as exchanging protons, the water molecules confined inside liposomes, shifted by a paramagnetic shift reagent. The chemical shift of the intraliposomal water resonance (δ^IL ) is affected by the overall shape of the supramolecular system. δ^IL of a spherical LipoCEST acts as a sensitive reporter of the distribution of streptavidin proteins anchored at the liposome surface by biotinylated phospholipids. This finding prompted the design of a MMP-2 responsive LipoCEST agent as the streptavidin moieties can be released from the liposome surfaces when a properly tailored enzyme-cleavable peptide is inserted on the phospholipids before the terminal biotin residues. δ^IL reports on the overall changes in the supramolecular architecture associated to the cleavage carried out by MMP-2.

Clinicopathologic and Prognostic Significance of Metalloproteinase Tissue Inhibitor-2 Promoters in Tunisian Colorectal Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) appear to affect many aspects of cancer biology, playing a crucial role in cell signaling by regulating cell growth, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and genomic instability. In the present study, we investigate whether TIMP-2 SNP, TIMP-2 mRNAs, and TIMP-2 protein is associated with susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC) in Tunisian population. Taqman and DNA sequencing techniques were used for genotyping, TIMP-2 expression of each genotype was analyzed using semiquantitative RT-PCR and TIMP-2 protein expression was analyzed using immunohistochemistry staining. Our results showed that significantly elevated CRC risk was found in individuals with CC genotype (odds ratio 1.959; 95% confidence interval, 1.055-3.637). Moreover TIMP-2 mRNA expression in the colorectal cell carcinomas was significantly higher compared with the normal colorectal tissue (0.487±0.015 vs. 0.210±0.013) (P<0.05). In addition, serum levels of TIMP-2 were significantly lower in CRC patients than in adenoma patients (P=0.01) and healthy controls (P=0.003). Serum levels of TIMP-2 correlated significantly with tumor stage and TNM stage and were the lowest in CRC patients with stage D,T4,(N1,N2,N3),M(+). In conclusion, our study demonstrate for the first time the distribution and the clinical significance of TIMP-2 promoter polymorphisms, mRNA, protein expression, and serum level in CRC Tunisian patients suggesting that the genotyping and serum level of TIMP-2 as potential markers for susceptibility to CRC will allow a precise and early identification of individuals at high risk and will aid the design of therapeutic modalities and evaluation of treatment outcome.

IL-17A Promotes the Migration and Invasiveness of Colorectal Cancer Cells Through NF-κB-Mediated MMP Expression

Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) plays a significant role in many inflammatory diseases and cancers. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of IL-17A on the invasiveness of colorectal cancer. In the study, we found that IL-17A could promote the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, after being treated with IL-17A, the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 were upregulated. Moreover, the nuclear/overall fractions and DNA-binding activity of p65 and p50 were dramatically elevated by IL-17A. Pretreatment with a nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitor (PDTC) or PI3K/AKT inhibitor (LY294002) was proven to abolish the promoting effect of IL-17A on the invasion ability of colorectal cancer cells and upregulation of MMP-2/9. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that IL-17A could promote the invasion of colorectal cancer cells by activating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway and subsequently upregulating the expression of MMP-2/9. Our results suggest that IL-17A could serve as a promising therapeutic target for colorectal cancer.

Anticancer activity of Nelumbo nucifera stamen extract in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells in vitro

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer activities of Nelumbo nucifera (Ba lotus) stamen ethanol crude extract (BLSEE) in human colon carcinoma HCT-116 cells. MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay were employed to investigate the anticancer mechanisms of BLSEE (100, 200 and 400 µg/ml) in HCT-116 cells. BLSEE reduced HCT-116 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. BLSEE treatment also significantly increased the sub-G1 population in HCT-116 cells (P=0.0020 at 400 µg/ml), as shown by flow cytometry assay. Following treatment with BLSEE, the mRNA levels of the apoptosis-associated factors Fas, Fas ligand, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, death receptor 4 (DR4), death receptor 5 (DR5), caspases 3, 8 and 9, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) associated X protein were increased, and the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-extra large was decreased in HCT-116 cells. The mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 and TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 2 were also regulated by BLSEE treatment. In addition, BLSEE was able to modulate the expression of inflammation-associated nuclear factor-κB, inhibitory κBα, inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2 in HCT-116 cells. The present study clearly indicated the cytotoxicity of BLSEE in HCT-116 cells through induced cellular apoptosis. These results also suggested the BLSEE may be a powerful agent against colon cancer cells.

Extracellular Matrix and Colorectal Cancer: How Surrounding Microenvironment Affects Cancer Cell Behavior?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) whit more than a million of new cases per year is one of the most common registered cancers worldwide with few treatment options especially for advanced and metastatic patients.The tumor microenvironment is composed by extracellular matrix (ECM), cells, and interstitial fluids. Among all these constituents, in the last years an increased interest around the ECM and its potential role in cancer tumorigenesis is arisen. During cancer progression the ECM structure and composition became disorganized, allowing cellular transformation and metastasis. Up to now, the focus has mainly been on the characterization of CRC microenvironment analyzing separately structural ECM components or cell secretome modifications. A more extensive view that interconnects these aspects should be addressed. In this review, biochemical (secretome) and biomechanical (structure and architecture) changes of tumor microenvironment will be discussed, giving suggestions on how these changes can affect cancer cell behavior. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 967-975, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Plasma levels and diagnostic utility of VEGF, MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in the diagnostics of breast cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

We investigated plasma levels and diagnostic utility of vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in comparison to cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3).

METHODS

Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) while CA 15-3 with chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA).

RESULTS

The plasma levels of VEGF, TIMP-2 showed significantly higher than CA 15-3 values of the diagnostic sensitivity, the predictive values of positive and negative test results (PPV, NPV) and the area under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) in early stages of breast cancer (BC). The combined use of the tested parameters with CA 15-3 resulted in the increase in sensitivity, NPV and AUC, especially in the combination with VEGF (83%; 72%; 0.888) and TIMP-2 (83%; 72%; 0.894). The highest values were obtained for combination of all three parameters (93%; 85%; 0.923).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the usefulness of the tested parameters in the diagnosis of BC, especially VEGF and TIMP-2 with CA 15-3 in early stages of BC, which could be a new diagnostic panel.

Induced Neural Differentiation of MMP-2 Cleaved (RADA)4 Drug Delivery Systems

(RADA)₄ self-assembling peptides (SAPs) are promising for neural nanoscaffolds with on-demand drug delivery capabilities due to their automated synthesis, in-situ assembly, and potential for interaction with and release of biomolecules. Neuroinflammation cued on-demand drug release, due to up-regulated proteases, may well be vital in the treatment of several neurological diseases. In these conditions, releasing neurotrophic growth factors (NTFs) could potentially lead to neuroprotection and neurogenesis. As such, (RADA)₄ was made with the high and low activity matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) cleaved sequences, GPQG+IASQ (CP1) and GPQG+PAGQ (CP2), the brain-derived NTF secretion stimulating peptide MVG (DP1) and the ciliary NTF analogue DGGL (DP2). PC-12 cell culture was performed to assess bioactive substrate cell adhesion and NTF specific neuronal differentiation. The laminin-derived IKVAV peptide, known for neural cell attachment and interaction, was tethered to (RADA)₄-IKVAV and mixed in increasing increments with (RADA)₄ for this purpose. With 1 nanomolar MMP-2 treatment, product formation was observed to increase over a three day period, with (RADA)₄/(RADA)₄-CP1/CP2 mixture, however there was little difference between groups. Smaller CP1/CP2 concentrations displayed comparable (RADA)₄ nanoscale morphology to higher concentrations. Acetylcholine esterase and neural differentiation was observed over 3 days with 1 nM MMP-2 treatment according to the following makeup: 8/1/1 (RADA)4/(RADA)4-IKVAV/(RADA)4-CP1/CP2-DP1/DP2. Signalling gradually increased in all groups, and neurite outgrowth was visible after three days.

Pathophysiology of colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis: Role of the peritoneum

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Besides the lymphatic and haematogenous routes of dissemination, CRC frequently gives rise to transcoelomic spread of tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity, which ultimately leads to peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). PC is associated with a poor prognosis and bad quality of life for these patients in their terminal stages of disease. A loco-regional treatment modality for PC combining cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal peroperative chemotherapy has resulted in promising clinical results. However, this novel approach is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A comprehensive understanding of the molecular events involved in peritoneal disease spread is paramount in avoiding unnecessary toxicity. The emergence of PC is the result of a molecular crosstalk between cancer cells and host elements, involving several well-defined steps, together known as the peritoneal metastatic cascade. Individual or clumps of tumor cells detach from the primary tumor, gain access to the peritoneal cavity and become susceptible to the regular peritoneal transport. They attach to the distant peritoneum, subsequently invade the subperitoneal space, where angiogenesis sustains proliferation and enables further metastatic growth. These molecular events are not isolated events but rather a continuous and interdependent process. In this manuscript, we review current data regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of colorectal PC, with a special focus on the peritoneum and the role of the surgeon in peritoneal disease spread.

Distinct Transcriptional Changes and Epithelial-Stromal Interactions Are Altered in Early-Stage Colon Cancer Development

Although the progression of mutated colonic cells is dependent upon interactions between the initiated epithelium and surrounding stroma, the nature of these interactions is poorly understood. Here, the development of an ultrasensitive laser capture microdissection (LCM)/RNA-seq approach for studying the epithelial and stromal compartments of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) is described. ACF are the earliest identifiable preneoplastic lesion found within the human colon and are detected using high-definition endoscopy with contrast dye spray. The current analysis focused on the epithelium of ACF with somatic mutations to either KRAS, BRAF, or APC, and expression patterns compared with normal mucosa from each patient. By comparing gene expression patterns among groups, an increase in a number of proinflammatory NF-κB target genes was identified that was specific to ACF epithelium, including TIMP1, RELA, and RELB Distinct transcriptional changes associated with each somatic mutation were observed and a subset of ACF display BRAF(V600E)-mediated senescence-associated transcriptome characterized by increased expression of CDKN2A Finally, LCM-captured ACF-associated stroma was found to be transcriptionally distinct from normal-appearing stroma, with an upregulation of genes related to immune cell infiltration and fibroblast activation. Immunofluorescence confirmed increased CD3(+) T cells within the stromal microenvironment of ACF and an abundance of activated fibroblasts. Collectively, these results provide new insight into the cellular interplay that occurs at the earliest stages of colonic neoplasia, highlighting the important role of NF-κB, activated stromal fibroblasts, and lymphocyte infiltration.

IMPLICATIONS

Fibroblasts and immune cells in the stromal microenvironment play an important role during the earliest stages of colon carcinogenesis. Mol Cancer Res; 14(9); 795-804. ©2016 AACR.

Expressions of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2, 7, and 9 in Carcinogenesis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly fatal disease, usually diagnosed in an advanced stage which gives a slight chance of recovery. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases that participate in tissue remodeling and stimulate neovascularization and inflammatory response. The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 in normal ducts, tumor pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells, and peritumoral stroma in correlation with clinicohistopathological parameters. The study material was obtained from 29 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 were performed by immunohistochemical technique. Microvessel density (MVD) was visualized by special immunostaining. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 were mainly observed in tumor cells and peritumoral stroma. MMP-2 expression in cancer cells was correlated with female gender, stronger inflammation, and histopathological type of cancer (R = 0.460, p = 0.013; R = 0.690, p = 0.0001; R = -0.440, p = 0.005, resp.). The expression of MMP-7 in tumor cells was found to positively correlate with the presence of necrosis and negatively correlate with MVD (R = 0.402, p = 0.031; R = -0.682, p = 0.000). We also showed that positive MMP-9 expression in tumor cells was associated with MVD (R = 0.368, p = 0.084); however, it was not statistically significant. Our results demonstrate that MMP-2, MMP-7, and MMP-9 expressions correlate with various morphological features of the PDAC tumor such as inflammation, necrosis, and formation of the new blood vessels.

Effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound on expression of TIMP-2 in serum and expression of mmp-13 in articular cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in the serum and expression of matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13) in the articular cartilage cells of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS

Inner patellar ligament defect method was used to establish the model of knee OA. Four weeks after the modeling, the arterial blood was drawn from the ear of each rabbit, while ELISA was employed to detect the expression of TIMP-2 in the serum. The chondrocytes were separated from animals in each group and then cultured in vitro. All rabbits were divided into control group, OA model group and OA + LIPUS group. Cells in the control and OA groups were not treated, while cells in the OA + LIPUS group were treated with LIPUS (40 mW/cm(2), 1 time/day). Cells were collected 7 d later and the RNA and total protein were extracted respectively. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were employed to analyze the expression of MMP-13 in chondrocytes at the mRNA and protein level, respectively.

RESULTS

The success rate of establishment of OA model was 83%. The results of ELISA showed that the content of TIMP-2 in the serum of animals with OA was 22.3%, lower than the one in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the normal control group, the expression of TIMP-2 in the OA model group was significantly increased, while the expression of MMP-13 was significantly increased (P < 0.05). After the stimulation of LIPUS, the expression of TIMP-2 and MMP-13 was close to the one in the normal control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The inner patellar ligament defect method is a mature method to establish the rabbit OA model, with high success rate. The expression of serum TIMP-2 in the OA model group is significantly decreased. LIPUS can up-regulate TIMP-2 and down-regulate MMP-13.

Effect of Bisphenol A on invasion ability of human trophoblastic cell line BeWo

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a kind of environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) that interfere embryo implantation. Trophoblast invasion plays a crucial role during embryo implantation. In this study, the effects of BPA on invasion ability of human trophoblastic cell line BeWo and its possible mechanism were investigated. BeWo cells were exposed to BPA and co-cultured with human endometrial cells to mimic embryo implantation in transwell model. The proliferation and invasion capability of BeWo cells were detected. The expression of E-cadherin, DNMT1, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were also analyzed. The results showed that the invasion capability of BeWo was reduced after daily exposure to BPA. BPA had biphasic effect on E-cadherin expression level in BeWo cells and expression level of DNMT1 was decreased when treated with BPA. Moreover, BPA treatment also changed the balance of MMPs/TIMPs in BeWo cells by down-regulating MMP-2, MMP-9 and up-regulating TIMP-1, TIMP-2 with increasing BPA concentration. Taken together, these results showed that BPA treatment could reduce the invasion ability of BeWo cells and alter the expression level of E-cadherin, DNMT1, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Our study would help us to understand the possible mechanism of BPA effect on invasion ability of human trophoblastic cell line BeWo.

Analysis of circulating DNA and protein biomarkers to predict the clinical activity of regorafenib and assess prognosis in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective, exploratory analysis of the CORRECT trial

BACKGROUND

Tumour mutational status is an important determinant of the response of metastatic colorectal cancer to targeted treatments. However, the genotype of the tissue obtained at the time of diagnosis might not accurately represent tumour genotype after multiple lines of treatment. This retrospective exploratory analysis investigated the clinical activity of regorafenib in biomarker subgroups of the CORRECT study population defined by tumour mutational status or plasma protein levels.

METHODS

We used BEAMing technology to identify KRAS, PIK3CA, and BRAF mutations in DNA obtained from the plasma of 503 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who enrolled in the CORRECT trial. We quantified total human genomic DNA isolated from plasma samples for 503 patients using a modified version of human long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) quantitive real-time PCR. We also measured the concentration of 15 proteins of interest-angiopoietin 2, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, placental growth factor, soluble TIE-1, soluble VEGFR1, VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-A isoform 121, bone morphogenetic protein 7, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, stromal cell-derived factor-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2, and von Willebrand factor-in plasma samples from 611 patients. We did correlative analyses of overall survival and progression-free survival in patient subgroups based on mutational status, circulating DNA concentration, and protein concentrations. The CORRECT trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01103323.

FINDINGS

Tumour-associated mutations were readily detected with BEAMing of plasma DNA, with KRAS mutations identified in 349 (69%) of 503 patients, PIK3CA mutations in 84 (17%) of 503 patients, and BRAF mutations in 17 (3%) of 502 patients. We did not do correlative analysis based on BRAF genotype because of the low mutational frequency detected for this gene. Some of the most prevalent individual hot-spot mutations we identified included: KRAS (KRAS G12D, 116 [28%] of 413 mutations; G12V, 72 [17%]; and G13D, 67 [16%]) and PIK3CA (PIK3CA E542K, 27 [30%] of 89 mutations; E545K, 37 [42%]; and H1047R, 12 [14%]). 41 (48%) of 86 patients who had received anti-EGFR therapy and whose archival tumour tissue DNA was KRAS wild-type in BEAMing analysis were identified as having KRAS mutations in BEAMing analysis of fresh plasma DNA. Correlative analyses suggest a clinical benefit favouring regorafenib across patient subgroups defined by KRAS and PIK3CA mutational status (progression-free survival with regorafenib vs placebo: hazard ratio [HR] 0·52, 95% CI 0·35-0·76 for KRAS wild-type; HR 0·51, 95% CI 0·40-0·65 for KRAS mutant [KRAS wild type vs mutant, pinteraction=0·74]; HR 0·50, 95% CI 0·40-0·63 for PIK3CA wild-type; HR 0·54, 95% CI 0·32-0·89 for PIK3CA mutant [PIK3CA wild-type vs mutant, pinteraction=0·85]) or circulating DNA concentration (progression-free survival with regorafenib vs placebo: HR 0·53, 95% CI 0·40-0·71, for low circulating DNA concentrations; HR 0·52, 95% CI 0·40-0·70, for high circulating DNA concentrations; low vs high circulating DNA, pinteraction=0·601). With the exception of von Willebrand factor, assessed with the median cutoff method, plasma protein concentrations were also not associated with regorafenib activity in terms of progression-free survival. In univariable analyses, the only plasma protein that was associated with overall survival was TIE-1, high concentrations of which were associated with longer overall survival compared with low TIE-1 concentrations. This association was not significant in multivariable analyses.

INTERPRETATION

BEAMing of circulating DNA could be a viable approach for non-invasive analysis of tumour genotype in real time and for the identification of potentially clinically relevant mutations that are not detected in archival tissue. Additionally, the results show that regorafenib seems to be consistently associated with a clinical benefit in a range of patient subgroups based on mutational status and protein biomarker concentrations.

FUNDING

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.

Protease-degradable electrospun fibrous hydrogels

Electrospun nanofibers are promising in biomedical applications to replicate features of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). However, nearly all electrospun scaffolds are either non-degradable or degrade hydrolytically, whereas natural ECM degrades proteolytically, often through matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Here, we synthesize reactive macromers that contain protease-cleavable and fluorescent peptides and are able to form both isotropic hydrogels and electrospun fibrous hydrogels through a photoinitiated polymerization. These biomimetic scaffolds are susceptible to protease-mediated cleavage in vitro in a protease dose dependent manner and in vivo in a subcutaneous mouse model using transdermal fluorescent imaging to monitor degradation. Importantly, materials containing an alternate and non-protease-cleavable peptide sequence are stable in both in vitro and in vivo settings. To illustrate the specificity in degradation, scaffolds with mixed fiber populations support selective fiber degradation based on individual fiber degradability. Overall, this represents a novel biomimetic approach to generate protease-sensitive fibrous scaffolds for biomedical applications.

The matrix metalloproteinase-7 and pro-enzyme of metalloproteinase-1 as a potential marker for patients with rectal cancer without distant metastasis

The aim of this study was the evaluation of clinical usage of metalloproteinase (MMP): proMMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 in serum of patients with rectal cancer, as well as the selection of parameters of the greatest diagnostic sensitivity and the determination of their relation with clinicopathological features, what is more, the demonstration whether their concentrations may have a prognostic value in the assessment of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The study comprised 100 patients with rectal cancer including 29 women and 71 men. The tested group was comprised of qualified patients without distant metastasis (M0). It was demonstrated that in patients with rectal cancer, the concentrations of MMP-9, MMP-7, and proMMP-1 as well as TIMP-1 were significantly higher in comparison to the reference group. On the basis of ROC curves, the greatest diagnostic sensitivity of MMP-9 was demonstrated. When evaluating the correlation of tested parameters with the size of the tumor (T1-T2 vs T3-T4), essential differences were shown for proMMP-1 concentrations. The highest percentage of patients with progression had an increased concentration of MMP-7 and TIMP-1. During a 5-year follow-up, univariate log-rank analysis had shown an essential dependence between the concentration of MMP-7 in men and DSF which was confirmed in Cox multivariate analysis. It was demonstrated that the pretreatment concentration of proMMP-1 may be clinically useful when evaluating the mass of the tumor, whereas MMP-7 may be a prognostic factor for DFS in men with rectal cancer without distant metastasis.

Matrine reduces the proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer cells via reducing the activity of p38 signaling pathway

Matrine has been used in anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapies for a long time. However, the anti-metastatic effect and related mechanism(s) in colorectal cancer (CRC) are still unclear. In this study, we investigated whether the administration of matrine could inhibit the proliferation, motility, and invasion of human CRC cells via regulating p38 signaling pathway. Results showed that matrine inhibited migration and invasion of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, after being treated with matrine for 24 h, the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 as well as proteinase activity in CRC cells were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, matrine reduced the phosphorylation level of p38 obviously. Combined treatment with p38 inhibitor (SB203580) and matrine resulted in a synergistic reduction of invasion as well as MMP-2/-9 expression in CRC cells. It was also found that matrine inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of CRC tumor in vivo. In conclusion, p38 signaling pathway may involve in matrine's inhibitory effects on migration and invasion of CRC cells by reducing the expression of MMP-2/-9, suggesting that matrine may be a potential therapeutic agent for CRC.