Purification of active matrix metalloproteinase catalytic domains and its use for screening of specific stromelysin-3 inhibitors

The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) stromelysin-3 (ST3) has been shown to be involved in malignant tumor progression and therefore represents an attrac tive therapeutical target. In order to screen for ST3 synthetic inhibitors, we have produced and purified the catalytic domain of ST3, matrilysin, str omelysin-a, and membrane type-1 MMP from inclusion bodies in a bacterial sy stem. Our strategy allowed the purification of MMPs directly in the active form, thereby avoiding in vitro activation. A total of 140,000 synthetic co mpounds from the Bristol-Myers Pharmaceutical Research Institute chemical d eck were tested, using a substrate-based colorimetric enzymatic assay, in w hich ST3 activity was evaluated through its ability to cleave and inactivat e alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor. One ST3 inhibitor belonging to the cephalos porin family of antibiotics was thereby identified. (C) 1999 Academic Press .