A personal journey with matrix metalloproteinases

Saikosaponin D exerts cytotoxicity on human endometrial cancer ishikawa cells by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting metastasis through MAPK pathways

Saikosaponin D (SSD) is one of plant secondary metabolic active substance with effective anti-tumor ability; however, the toxicity of Saikosaponin D on human endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells is still unclear. Our results revealed that SSD displayed cytotoxicity on the Ishikawa cell with an IC₅₀ = 15.69 μM, but was non-toxic to the human normal cell line HEK293. SSD could upregulate p21 and Cyclin B to keep cells in the G2/M stage. In addition, it activated the death receptor and mitochondrion routes to induce apoptosis in Ishikawa cells. The transwell chamber and wound healing results showed that SSD inhibited the cell migration and invasion. In addition, we found that it was closely related to the MAPK cascade pathway, and it could mediate the three classical MAPK pathways to block cell metastasis. In conclusion, SSD could be potentially beneficial as a natural secondary metabolite in preventing and treating endometrial carcinoma.

Overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 protects from angiotensin II-induced cardiac hypertrophy and vascular remodeling

Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of death, and elevated levels of asymmetric dimethyarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, are implicated in their pathophysiology. We investigated the role of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1), an enzyme hydrolyzing ADMA, in prevention of cardiovascular remodeling during hypertension. We hypothesized that the animals overexpressing DDAH1 will be protected from angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced end organ damage. Angiotensin II (ANG II) was infused in two doses: 0.75 and 1.5 mg/kg/day in DDAH1 transgenic mice (DDAH1 TG) and wild-type (WT) littermates for 2 or 4 wk. Echocardiography was performed in the first and fourth weeks of the infusion, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured weekly, and cardiac hypertrophy and vascular remodeling was assessed by histology. Increase in SBP after 1 wk of ANG II infusion was not different between the groups, whereas TG mice had lower SBP at later time points. TG mice were protected from cardiovascular remodeling after 2 wk of ANG II infusion in the high dose and after 4 wk in the moderate dose. TG mice had higher left ventricular lumen-to-wall ratio, lower cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area, and less interstitial fibrosis compared with WT controls. In aorta, TG mice had less adventitial fibrosis, lower medial thickness with preserved elastin content, lower counts of inflammatory cells, lower levels of active matrix metalloproteinase-2, and showed better endothelium-dependent relaxation. We demonstrated that overexpression of DDAH1 protects from ANG II-induced cardiovascular remodeling and progression of hypertension by preserving endothelial function and limiting inflammation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We showed that overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) protects from angiotensin II-induced cardiovascular damage, progression of hypertension, and adverse vascular remodeling in vivo. This protective effect is associated with decreased levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine, preservation of endothelial function, inhibition of cardiovascular inflammation, and lower activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2. Our findings are highly clinically relevant, because they suggest that upregulation of DDAH1 might be a promising therapeutic approach against angiotensin II-induced end organ damage.

Co-administration of Aluminum Sulfate and Propolis Regulates Matrix Metalloproteinases-2/9 Expression and Improves the Uterine Leiomyoma in Adult Rat Model

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aluminum sulfate (alum) with propolis (PR) on uterine leiomyoma (UL) in rat model. One hundred and four female Wistar rats (180-200 g) were allocated into two main groups of control (Co, n = 8) and experiment (UL model [estradiol benzoate 200 μg/kg/IM twice/week/8 weeks] with/without treatment) defined in 13 subgroups with/without treatment with coil oil (UL + COi), PR (100 or 200 mg/kg) as UL + PR100 or 200, alum (35, 75 or 150 mg/Kg) as UL + AL 35, 75, or 150, and PR (100 mg/kg or 200) with alum (35, 75, or 150 mg/Kg) as UL + PR100 or 200 + AL35, 75, or 150. Subgroups received doses of therapeutics for 14 days (IP). In the end, rats were sacrificed, and the uteri were isolated for molecular and histopathological investigations. The myometrium thickness, collagen contents, and gene expression of MMP-2 and 9 increased significantly in experimental groups with/without treatment (P ˂ 0.05). PR administration (100 and 200 mg/kg) alone or with alum (35 and 75 mg/kg) significantly decreased myometrium collagen contents and the gene expression and protein concentration of MMP-2 and 9 compared with UL and UL + Coi subgroups (P ˂ 0.05). Alum (75 mg/kg) with PR (200 mg/kg) could improve UL features and reduce MMP-2 and 9 gene expression.

Rhein Inhibits the Migration of Ovarian Cancer Cells through Down-Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinases

The root of Rheum officinale BAILL as a traditional Chinese medicine, which main function is removing heat from the blood, promoting blood circulation and clearing toxins away. Rhein (4,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid) is one of the most important active components in the root of Rheum officinale BAILL, which could inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. However, the study on the mechanism of anti-cell migration capacity of Rhein on ovarian cancer is not yet clear. Here, we demonstrated that Rhein had dose-dependent effects of ovarian tumors on drugs and could inhibit the proliferations and migration of two typical ovarian cancer cell lines, A2780 and OV2008. Furthermore, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that the survival rate of ovarian cancer cells was significantly decreased when treated with Rhein. Rhein inhibited the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the wound healing assay and transwell assay indicated that the cell migratory potential and expression of matrix metalloproteinases were markedly inhibited by Rhein. Our findings suggested that Rhein could be a potential candidate to be developed as a drug for the prevention of ovarian cancer cell migration.

Overhydroxylation of Lysine of Collagen Increases Uterine Fibroids Proliferation: Roles of Lysyl Hydroxylases, Lysyl Oxidases, and Matrix Metalloproteinases

The role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in uterine fibroids (UF) has recently been appreciated. Overhydroxylation of lysine residues and the subsequent formation of hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) cross-links underlie the ECM stiffness and profoundly affect tumor progression. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between ECM of UF, collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes [lysyl hydroxylases (LH) and lysyl oxidases (LOX)], and the development and progression of UF. Our results indicated that hydroxyl lysine (Hyl) and HP cross-links are significantly higher in UF compared to the normal myometrial tissues accompanied by increased expression of LH (LH2b) and LOX. Also, increased resistance to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) proteolytic degradation activity was observed. Furthermore, the extent of collagen cross-links was positively correlated with the expression of myofibroblast marker (α-SMA), growth-promoting markers (PCNA; pERK1/2; FAK^pY397; Ki-67; and Cyclin D1), and the size of UF. In conclusion, our study defines the role of overhydroxylation of collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes in modulating UF cell proliferation, differentiation, and resistance to MMP. These effects can establish microenvironment conducive for UF progression and thus represent potential target treatment options of UF.