The activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 in synovial fluids (SF) sampled from dogs with joint disorders was investigated by gelatin zymography and densitometry. Pro-MMP-2 showed similar activity levels in dogs with idiopathic polyarthritis (IPA; n=17) or canine rheumatoid arthritis (cRA; n=4), and healthy controls (n=10). However, dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (C...

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), which generates an active form of MMP-2 from proMMP-2, are deeply involved in angiogenesis as well as in tumor cell migration and metastasis. To obtain a specific inhibitor for MT1-MMP, we screened a number of natural and synthetic compounds using recombinant human MMP-2, MMP-7, and soluble MT1-MMP ...

Boophilus microplus trypsin inhibitors (BmTIs) present in larvae were preliminarily characterized as active proteins, approximately 10-18 kDa, by SDS-PAGE. BmTIs showed trypsin inhibitory activity on reverse zymography containing gelatin (0.03%) and also inhibited others serine proteinases (human neutrophil elastase and human plasma kallikrein). Bos indicus, Nelore breed calves, previously sens...

OBJECTIVE The cysteine proteases, cathepsins, have been implicated in vascular remodeling and atherosclerosis, processes known to be regulated by shear stress. It is not known, however, whether shear regulates cathepsins. We examined the hypothesis that shear stress regulates cathepsin activity in endothelial cells. METHODS AND RESULTS Mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) exposed to atherop...

Introduction. In spite of intensive research during many years, pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains one of the deadliest cancers. The surgical intervention remains main possibility of treatment because chemotherapy and radiotherapy has a minimal impact on long-term survival. We are still looking for the weak points of this devastating disease. Materials and Methods. Pancreatic tumor tissue sample...

LY52 is a caffeoyl pyrrolidine derivative designed to fit the S'1 active pocket of gelatinases that act in tumor invasion and metastasis. Herein, we examined the effects of LY52 on expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 expression in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and on in vitro invasion and in vivo metastasis. LY52 significantly blocked MMP-2 activity as evidenced by a decrease ...

Human kallikrein 6 (hK6), a trypsin-like serine protease, is a newly identified member of the kallikrein gene family. Its involvement in inflammatory CNS lesions and in demyelination has been reported. Recent work has suggested that expression of this enzyme is significantly elevated in patients with ovarian cancer. We have identified many tumour cell lines that secrete hK6, but its physiologic...

Early detection of osteoarthritis in horses represents a challenge for equine practitioners. Several biological markers have been implicated in the pathological processes involved in articular cartilage destruction. To further document cartilage matrix proteases production, synovial fluid was collected from 14 horses (90 joints) before they were subjected to euthanasia. Growth macroscopic exami...

Ophiopogonin-D is one of steroidal saponins isolated from the root of the Chinese medicinal plant Ophiopogon japonicas. It has been claimed to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The present study was the first to examine the anti-tumor metastasis properties of ophiopogonin-D. An MTT assay showed that ophiopogonin-D inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-435 melanoma cells, an...

The tumor cell-derived collagenase-stimulatory factor (TCSF) was pre viously purified from human lung carcinoma cells (S. M. Ellis, K. Nabeshima, and C. Biswas, Cancer Res., 49: 3385-3391, 1989). This protein is present on the surface of several types of human tumor cells in vitro and in vivo and stimulates production of interstitial collagenase in human fibroblasts. In this study it is shown t...