N. Chandrasekar et al., Modulation of endothelial cell morphogenesis in vitro by MMP-9 during glial-endothelial cell interactions, CLIN EXP M, 18(4), 2000, pp. 337-342
The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of matrix metallopro
teinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in t
he formation of capillary structures by human brain microvascular endotheli
al cells cocultured with SNB19 glioblastoma cells. Unstimulated cocultures
did not form capillaries and produce MMP-9 but stimulation with the protein
kinase C (PKC) activator 4-phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) produced
MMP-9 and capillary networks. Addition of recombinant MMP-9 increased capil
lary formation. Anti-MMP-9 antibodies, TIMP-1, the synthetic MMPs inhibitor
Batimastat (BB-94), and the PKC inhibitor calphostin-C all reduced MMP-9 a
ctivity and capillary network formation in these cocultures. Cytochalasin-D
in the presence of PMA suppressed MMP-9 expression and capillary formation
, but colchicine-B had no such effect. Finally, PMA-induced MMP-9 expressio
n and capillary formation were inhibited by the MEKK-specific inhibitor PD9
8059. These results suggest that MMP-9 is important in endothelial cell mor
phogenesis and the formation of capillaries in glial/endothelial cocultures
in vitro.