THE INTERACTIONS OF ALPHA-2HS GLYCOPROTEIN WITH METALLOPROTEINASES

The objective of the present analyses was to determine whether matrix metalloproteinases interact with alpha 2HS glycoprotein, the human hom ologue of bovine fetuin. Alpha 2HS glycoprotein was incubated with met alloproteinases at 1:1 and 1:10 molar ratios. The serum glycoprotein w as completely degraded by gelatinase-A and matrilysin at the higher en zyme concentration after an overnight incubation at 37 degrees C. The data show that gelatinase-A, matrilysin and gelatinase-B do interact w ith alpha 2HS glycoprotein and that gelatinase-B associates most tight ly with the serum glycoprotein.