The effect of calcium chloride on the activity and inhibition of bacterial collagenase

Factors influencing the collagenase digestion phase of human islet isolation

Substantial advances in human islet isolation technology have occurred during the past decade. However, it is still difficult to recover the entire quantity of islets contained in a pancreas. A major obstacle to successful human islet isolation has been the variability of the collagenase digestion phase of islet isolation. Future advances in enzyme technology will make it possible to optimally liberate islets with enzyme blends "tailor-made" for each individual donor pancreas. Such innovative strategies will be advantageous in improving islet isolation efficiency, recovery, viability, and ultimately posttransplant function.

A zinc chelator inhibiting gelatinases exerts potent in vitro anti-invasive effects

Matrix metalloproteinases are zinc metalloenzymes involved in remodelling of the extracellular matrix. We compared the anti-invasive properties of a zinc ejector matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor with those of reference compounds (hydroxamic acid-based BB-94 and Ro-31-9790) which form inactive ternary complexes with the enzymes and the catalytic zinc. We show that the compound undecadenedioic acid bis-[[2-(3 H-imidazol-4-yl)-ethyl]-amide] (S 30372) is active against gelatinases, chelates zinc and exhibits enzymatic features compatible with the potential to extract zinc from gelatinases. We then used five invasive cell lines in the Matrigel invasion chamber assay (NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, Lewis lung carcinoma cells, EJ138 and J82 bladder carcinoma and HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells). With the exception of J82 cells which were unaffected by the three inhibitors, all remaining cells were substantially more sensitive to S 30372 in terms of maximal inhibition of invasion attained. This suggests that matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors with zinc chelating/ejecting properties may be more efficient in preventing tumor progression.

Radial diffusion assay of tissue collagenase and its application in evaluation of collagenase inhibitors

A radial diffusion assay for tissue collagenase (EC 3.4.24.3) has been devised which is simple, sensitive and capable of application to large numbers of samples. The assay employs an agarose matrix containing solubilized lathyritic rat skin collagen as substrate. Fibril formation is induced for 2 h at 37 degrees C subsequent to 41 h digestion at 28 degrees C. The procedure results in sharply defined zones of lysis which may be measured directly or after photography. The characteristics of the procedure are otherwise similar to those reported for other radial diffusion assays. The new method was used to examine the action of 10 compounds which were known or potential inhibitors of tadpole collagenase. The concentration of inhibitor required to produce 50% inhibition is reported for the following compounds: alpha2-macroglobulin, 142 microng/ml; N-acetylcysteine, greater than or equal to 100 mM; cysteine, 8.7 mM; EDTA, 0.46 mM; histidine, greater than or equal to 100 mM; 2,3-dimercaptopropanol, 0.5 mM and mercaptoacetic acid, 70 mM. The procedure also has potential for clinical determinations (e.g. tears, synovial fluid) since assay dishes may be prepared in advance and only 15 micronl of sample is required.