The maintenance and developmental remodeling of extracellular matrix is crucial to such processes as uterine implantation and the cell migratory events of morphogenesis. When mouse blastocysts are placed in culture they adhere to extracellular matrix, and trophoblast giant cells migrate out onto the matrix and degrade it. The secretion of functional proteinases by developing mouse embryos incre...

PURPOSE A depletion of hyaluronic acid (HA) in patients' eyes may be associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), but the exact mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effect of HA on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in cultured trabecular meshwork cells. METHODS Trabecular meshwork cells were cultured from trabecular tissues obtained from the POAG p...

Background. Vitamin A derivative all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is considered as a potent chemotherapeutic drug for its capability of regulating cell growth and differentiation. We studied the effect of ATRA on MMP-2 in MCF-7, human breast cancer cells, and the probable signaling pathways which are affected by ATRA on regulating pro-MMP-2 activity and expression. Methods. Gelatin zymography, RT...

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is constitutively expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Using small interfering RNA (siRNA), we evaluated the effect of MMP-2 inhibition in VSMCs in vitro and ex vivo. Rabbit VSMCs were transfected in vitro with 50 nmol/l MMP-2 siRNA or scramble siRNA. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy showed cellular uptake of siRNA in approximately 80% of V...

The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate for the first time anticoagulant fibrinogenolytic protease from Psidium guajava seed extract. extract in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed protein bands high molecular weight region between 122 kDa 47 two distinct lower at ~16.6 ~14.3 kDa. content found be 1 mg/ml with specific activity 0.8 U. proteolytic su...

MMP-9 or Gelatinase B, a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family (MMPs), plays important roles in physiological events such as tissue remodeling and in pathological processes that lead to destructive bone diseases, including osteoarthritis and periodontitis. In addition to its effect on the increase of total bone mass, statin (an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor) suppresses the expression of M...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Abnormal expression of some matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) has shown to play a deleterious role in brain injury in experimental models of cerebral ischemia. We aimed to investigate MMP-2 (gelatinase A) and MMP-9 (gelatinase B) in brain parenchyma in both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. METHODS Postmortem fresh brain tissue from 6 ischemic and 8 hemorrhagic stroke pat...

PURPOSE The cockroach (CR) is an important cause of respiratory allergic disorders. We prepared a German CR extract in a standardized way and analyzed its allergenic properties. METHODS The extract was prepared from German CR (Blattella germanica) obtained from a Korean colony, and its allergenic activity was compared with that of the commercial Hollister-Stier (HS) extract. The concentration...

BACKGROUND Exposure to the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D.p.) increases the risk for developing allergic diseases in humans and their best friends, the dogs. Here, we explored whether this allergenic mite via its enzymes may impact the cutaneous extracellular matrix (ECM), which critically determines epithelial barrier integrity both structurally and functionally. METHODS T...

Inhibition of gelatinolytic activity in implanted tumor tissues by oral administration of N-biphenyl sulfonyl-phenylalanine hydroxamic acid (BPHA), a selective matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor, was demonstrated by means of film in situ zymography (FIZ). Active-MMP-2 but not pro-MMP-2 showed gelatinolytic activity in FIZ, whereas both forms of MMP-2 were found to be active in conventiona...