Inhibition of tumor invasion of smooth muscle cell layers by recombinant human metalloproteinase inhibitor.

Matrix metalloproteinases secreted by tumor cells play an important role in the proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix during invasion. In a previous study, we showed that the degradation of extra-cellular matrices by human HT 1080 fibrosarcoma cells is suppressed by endothelial cells. The identification of inhibitors of metalloproteinases secreted by endothelial cells led us to postulate that these inhibitors were responsible for the suppressive effect (Cancer Res., 46: 3580-3586, 1986). In the present study, we have investigated the inhibitory activity of one of these inhibitors designated metalloproteinase inhibitor (MI)/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2 on the degradation and invasion of rat smooth muscle cell matrices by two invasive tumor cell lines, the c-Ha-ras-1 transfected rat embryo cell line 4R and the HT 1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line. The inhibitor was obtained in recombinant form from the culture medium of Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with a human MI complementary DNA. Recombinant MI/TIMP-2 inhibited several matrix metalloproteinases identified in the culture medium of the tumor cell lines including interstitial collagenase. Mr 72,000 gelatinase (type IV collagenase), and Mr 92,000 gelatinase. Approximately 70% inhibition of the degradation of smooth muscle cell matrices was observed when the recombinant inhibitor was present along with cultured cells at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. Similarly, inhibition of the penetration of a multilayer of growing smooth muscle cells and their surrounding matrix was demonstrated. The inhibitor had no effect on cell growth or attachment. Thus, recombinant MI/TIMP-2, like TIMP, is a potent inhibitor of tumor invasion. Since both inhibitors are secreted by endothelial cells (J. Biol. Chem., 264: 17445-17453, 1989), they may play an important role in protecting large blood vessels from invasion.

Characterization of the functional domain of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2).

Analysis of the functional domain of tissue inhibitor of metallo-proteinases-2 (TIMP-2) was performed using limited proteolytic degradation with trypsin. This treatment generated a 13.5 kDa fragment which was purified and shown to consist of an uncleaved N-terminal region extending from residue 1 to residue 132. The fragment retains the ability to inhibit activated interstitial collagenase and to block the autocatalytic activation of procollagenase.

Inhibition of autoproteolytic activation of interstitial procollagenase by recombinant metalloproteinase inhibitor MI/TIMP-2.

The purification and cloning of a novel metalloproteinase inhibitor (MI or TIMP-2) related to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) has been recently described by our laboratory (DeClerck, Y.A., Yean, T. D., Ratzkin, B.J., Lu, H.S., and Langley, K.E. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 17445-17453; Boone, T.C., Johnson, M.J., DeClerck, Y.A., and Langley, K.E. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 87, 2800-2804). We have transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells with a vector containing human MI/TIMP-2 cDNA and purified recombinant-derived MI/TIMP-2 (rMI/rTIMP-2) from the conditioned medium of such cells. We have investigated the inhibitory activity of rMI/rTIMP-2 toward rabbit fibroblast interstitial collagenase. The inhibition of activated collagenase by rMI/rTIMP-2 is stoichiometric and consistent with the formation of a 1:1 molar ratio complex. In addition to blocking the activated enzyme, rMI/rTIMP-2 inhibits the conversion of 52-kDa procollagenase to the 42-kDa active enzyme initiated by organomercurials. When plasmin is used as activator, rMI/rTIMP-2 does not inhibit the plasmin-mediated conversion of the 52-kDa proenzyme to the 46-kDa inactive intermediate but blocks further conversion of the 46-kDa intermediate to the 42-kDa active enzyme. The data indicate that rMI/rTIMP-2 blocks the autoproteolytic activation of procollagenase. Also, rMI/rTIMP-2 forms complexes with the 52-kDa procollagenase, the 46-kDa intermediate, and with the 42-kDa activated enzyme which are stable to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), such that the complexes can be visualized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It appears that the formation of a SDS-stable complex with procollagenase requires an initial conformational change of the procollagenase brought about by organomercurials or by plasmin cleavage. The data suggest that MI/TIMP-2 may be able to control the extracellular action of certain metalloproteinases not only at the level of the activated enzyme but also at the level of proenzyme activation.

Purification and characterization of two related but distinct metalloproteinase inhibitors secreted by bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Two metalloproteinase inhibitors were purified from serum-free medium conditioned by bovine aortic endothelial cells. One of these inhibitors, with a molecular weight of 30,000-34,000 (reduced) is identified as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases; the second inhibitor has a molecular weight of 27,500 (reduced) and 20,400 (unreduced), is not recognized by an antiserum against bovine tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, appears unglycosylated, and has 51% identity with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases by NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. This inhibitor has antiproteinase activities similar to those of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, with inhibition of classical collagenase, type IV collagenase, and gelatinases but not trypsin, plasmin, or bacterial collagenase. Other properties shared with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases include trypsin sensitivity, acid and heat resistance, and inactivation by reduction-alkylation. The presence of these inhibitors in endothelial cells suggests that they may play important roles in protecting the integrity of the vascular basement membrane.