NFF-3

Proteolytic enzymes play fundamental roles in many biological processes. Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have been shown to take part in processes crucial in disease progression. The current study used the ExcelArray Human MMP/TIMP Array to quantify MMP and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) production in the lysates and media of 14 cancer cell lines and 1 normal cell line. The overall patterns were very similar in terms of which MMPs and TIMPs were secreted in the media versus associated with the cells in the individual samples. However, more MMP was found in the media (in both amount and variety). TIMP-1 was produced in all cell lines. MMP activity assays with three different fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) substrates were then used to determine whether protein production correlated with function for the WM-266-4 and BJ cell lines. Metalloproteinase activity was observed for both cell lines with a general MMP substrate (Knight SSP), consistent with protein production data. However, although both cell lines promoted the hydrolysis of a more selective MMP substrate (NFF-3), metalloproteinase activity was confirmed only in the BJ cell line. The use of inhibitors to confirm metalloproteinase activities pointed to the strengths and weaknesses of in situ FRET substrate assays.

Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family have been implicated in disease states such as arthritis, periodontal disease, and tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Stromelysin 1 (MMP-3) has a broad substrate specificity and participates in the activation of several MMP zymogens. We examined known sequences of MMP-3 cleavage sites in natural peptides and proteins and compared sequence specificities of MMP-3 and interstitial collagenase (MMP-1) in order to design fluorogenic substrates that (i) would be hydrolyzed rapidly by MMP-3, (ii) would discriminate between MMP-3 and MMP-1, and (iii) could be monitored continuously without interference from MMP amino acid residues. Designed substrates were then screened for activity toward MMP-1, gelatinase A (MMP-2), MMP-3, and gelatinase B (MMP-9). The first of these substrates, NFF-1 (Mca-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Lys-(Dnp)-Gly, where Mca is (7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl)acetyl and Dnp is 2,4-dinitrophenyl), was hydrolyzed equally well by MMP-3 and MMP-2 (kcat/Km approximately 11,000 s-1 M-1). MMP-1 had 25% of the activity of MMP-3 toward NFF-1. The second substrate, NFF-2 (Mca-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Tyr-Ala-Nva-Trp-Met-Lys(Dnp)-NH2, where Nva is norvaline), was hydrolyzed 60 times more rapidly by MMP-3 (kcat/Km = 59,400 s-1 M-1) than MMP-1. Unfortunately, NFF-2 showed little discrimination between MMP-3, MMP-2 (kcat/Km = 54,000 s-1 M-1), and MMP-9 (kcat/Km = 55,300 s-1 M-1). The third substrate, NFF-3 (Mca-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Val-Glu-Nva-Trp-Arg-Lys(Dnp)-NH2), was hydrolyzed rapidly by MMP-3 (kcat/Km = 218,000 s-1 M-1) and very slowly by MMP-9 (kcat/Km = 10,100 s-1 M-1), but there was no significant hydrolysis by MMP-1 and MMP-2. NFF-3 is the first documented synthetic substrate hydrolyzed by only certain members of the MMP family and thus has important application for the discrimination of MMP-3 activity from that of other MMPs. Although NFF-3 was designed by assuming that substrate subsites were independent and hence free energy changes derived from single mutation experiments were additive, we found discrepancies between predicted and experimental kcat/Km values, one on the order of 2000-5000. Thus, the design of additional discriminatory MMP substrates may require approaches other than assuming additive free energy changes, such as screening synthetic libraries and consideration of secondary and tertiary structures of substrates and the enzyme.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, degradation and glioma cell motility are critical aspects of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Despite being a rich source of potential biomarkers and targets for therapeutic advance, the dynamic changes occurring within the extracellular environment that are specific to GBM motility have yet to be fully resolved. The gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) increases glioma migration and invasion in a variety ofin vitroandin vivomodels. In this study, the upregulation of Cx43 in C6 glioma cells induced morphological changes and the secretion of proteins associated with cell motility. Demonstrating the selective engagement of ECM remodeling networks, secretome analysis revealed the near-binary increase of osteopontin and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), with gelatinase and NFF-3 assays confirming the proteolytic activities. Informatic analysis of interactome and secretome downstream of Cx43 identifies networks of glioma motility that appear to be synergistically engaged. The data presented here implicate ECM remodeling and matrikine signals downstream of Cx43/MMP3/osteopontin and ARK1B10 inhibition as possible avenues to inhibit GBM.