title: The effect of gallium nitrate on synoviocyte MMP activity.
abstract: Gallium, a group IIIa metal salt, has been demonstrated to be an effective immunosuppressive agent. Gallium has also been shown to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1beta, produced by macrophage-like cells in vitro. To further characterize the effects of gallium on the inflammatory process, we examined the effects of gallium nitrate on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity utilizing the rabbit synoviocyte cell line HIG-82. HIG-82 cells were incubated with IL-1beta and TPA, with and without increasing concentrations of gallium nitrate. Conditioned medium was collected and assayed for MMP activity using a synthetic substrate and substrate gel zymography. IL-1beta and TPA alone induced MMP activity in HIG-82 cells. A dose-dependent inhibition of IL-1beta and TPA stimulated MMP activity by gallium nitrate at increasing concentrations was observed. This study demonstrates that gallium nitrate can inhibit the activity of MMPs and may be useful as a modulator of inflammation in arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics and Biomaterials and the Office for Clinical Affairs, New Jersey Dental School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 110 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Panagakos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Venescar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guidon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism; D005708:Gallium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000378:metabolism; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007375:Interleukin-1; D005780:Gelatin; D005708:Gallium; D017364:Collagenases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; C027235:gallium nitrate