Objective: To study the expression of membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and its correlation with gelatinase A (MMP2) activation.
Methods: Reverse transcription PCR, northern blots and western blots were employed to detect the expression levels of MT1-MMP mRNA and MMP2 protein in 4 human melanoma cell lines, 2 human lung cancer cell lines and 2 human prostate cancer cell lines.
Results: All the cancer cell lines expressed MT1-MMP mRNA, and the MT1-MMP mRNA level in the 4 melanoma cell lines was significantly higher than that in the lung and prostate cancer cell lines. Activated MMP2 proteins were only detected in the melanoma cell lines, whereas PG, a lung cancer cell line, which secreted pro-MMP2 and expressed low level of MT1-MMP, could not produce activated MMP2.
Conclusions: The level of MT1-MMP expression was highly associated with MMP2 activation.