Increased gelatinase-A and gelatinase-B activities in malignant vs. benignbreast tumors

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) types 2 and 9 (also known as gelatinase A a nd B) are thought to be causally involved in cancer invasion and metastasis , In normal as well as in malignant tissue, both these MMPs occur in multip le farms such as inactive precursors, active enzymes and enzyme-inhibitor c omplexes. Using newly developed quantitative activity assays, the levels of active MMP-2, total (active and activatable) MMP-2 and total MMP-9 were fo und to be significantly higher in breast carcinomas than in fibroadenomas. In addition, active MMP-2 and MMP-9 were detected more frequently in malign ant than in benign breast carcinoma. These new quantitative activity assays are likely to be of use in studying the mechanism of action of both MMP-2 and -9, assessing their potential prognostic value in different cancers and in the design of MMP inhibitors for preventing cancer metastasis, Int. J, Cancer 86:204-207, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.