title: Rapid activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 by glioma cells occurs through a posttranslational MT1-MMP-dependent mechanism.
abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) has been suggested to play a crucial role in tumor invasion and angiogenesis. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying proMMP-2 activation, we compared the biochemical and cellular events triggered by two potent MMP-2 activators, the lectin concanavalin A (ConA) and the cytoskeleton disrupting agent cytochalasin D (CytoD). Incubation of U87 human glioma cells for 24 h in the presence of ConA or CytoD induced a marked activation of proMMP-2 and this activation was correlated in both cases with an increase in the mRNA levels of MT1-MMP. At the protein level, proMMP-2 activation induced by CytoD or ConA strongly correlated with the appearance of a 43-kDa MT1-MMP proteolytic breakdown product in cell lysates. Interestingly, CytoD also induced a very rapid (2 h) activation of proMMP-2 that was independent of protein synthesis. Under these conditions, CytoD also promoted the rapid proteolytic breakdown of the 63 kDa pro form of MT1-MMP, resulting in the appearance of the 43 kDa MT1-MMP processed form. Overexpression of a recombinant full-length MT1-MMP protein in glioma cells resulted in the activation of proMMP-2 that was correlated with the generation of the 43 kDa fragment of the protein. By contrast, overexpression of the protein in COS-7 cells promoted proMMP-2 activation without inducing the production of the 43 kDa fragment. These results thus suggest that activation of proMMP-2 occurs through both translational and post-translational mechanisms, both involving proteolytic processing of membrane-associated MT1-MMP. This processing of MT1-MMP is, however, not essential to proMMP-2 activation but may represent a regulatory mechanism to control the activity of MT1-MMP.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Médecine Moléculaire Ste-Justine-UQAM, Centre de Cancérologie Charles-Bruneau, Hôpital Ste-Justine et Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-ville, Québec H3C 3P8, Montréal, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gingras
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pagé
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Annabi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Béliveau
mesh_terms: D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D015638:Cytochalasin D / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D005910:Glioma; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053504:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Membrane-Associated; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003208:Concanavalin A; D015638:Cytochalasin D; D053504:Matrix Metalloproteinases, Membrane-Associated; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2