The matrix metalloproteinases are zinc-dependent protease enzymes which interact with a range of ECM (extracellular matrix) proteins, and are activated by proteolytic cleavage. We at Novus Biologicals offer a wide range of top quality MMP reagents, including MMP3, MMP7, MMP9, MMP13 and MMP2 specific antibodies.
All the above proteins are known to play important roles in embryonic development, wound healing, angiogenesis, carcinogenesis, tumour invasion and apoptosis. Overexpression of MMP2 and MMP9 is associated with tumour migration, metastasis and aggressive, invasive cancers such as chondrosarcomas, malignant astrocytomas, melanomas and breast cancer. It is thought this occurs through degradation of the ECM proteins, primarily Collagen IV and Laminin 5, allowing migration of metastatic cells through the basement membrane, with enhanced tumour growth.
The heat shock protein HSP90 is uploaded at times of cellular stress, with increasing evidence to show that it acts as a molecular chaperone. A recent study by D. Stellas et al. [PMID: 20602761] suggested HSP90 could be a target for antibody therapy. The team used various monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to probe the interaction of HSP90 isoforms with MMP2 and MMP9. They also examined the role of a new HSP90 mAb, called 4C5, in inhibiting metastasis and metastatic cell invasion, using a mouse model of human breast cancer.
The breast cancer cells secreted HSP90, which then interacted with MMP2 and MMP9 to activate them. MMP9/MMP2 antibody assays showed that while 4C5 antibodies did not restrict the release of inactive MMP2/MMP9 from cancer cells, their activation was blocked through disruption of the extracellular HSP90/MMP binding mechanism by mAb 4C5. This in turn prevented the metastatic deposit of tumour cells into the lung tissue. The conclusion was that 4C5 antibodies could have potential therapeutic use in cancer.
Novus Biologicals offers MMP reagents for your research needs including:
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