c-Myc is necessary for DNA damage-induced apoptosis in the G(2) phase of the cell cycle.

The c-myc proto-oncogene encodes a transcription factor that participates in the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Ectopic overexpression of c-Myc has been shown to sensitize cells to apoptosis. We report here that cells lacking c-Myc activity due to disruption of the c-myc gene by targeted homologous recombination are defective in DNA damage-initiated apoptosis in the G(2) phase of the cell cycle. The downstream effector of c-Myc is cyclin A, whose ectopic expression in c-myc(-/-) cells rescues the apoptosis defect. The kinetics of the G(2) response indicate that the induction of cyclin A and the concomitant activation of Cdk2 represent an early step during commitment to apoptosis. In contrast, expression of cyclins E and D1 does not rescue the apoptosis defect, and apoptotic processes in G(1) phase are not affected in c-myc(-/-) cells. These observations link DNA damage-induced apoptosis with cell cycle progression and implicate c-Myc in the functioning of a subset of these pathways.

Activation of proMMP-9 by a plasmin/MMP-3 cascade in a tumor cell model. Regulation by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases.

To examine MMP-9 activation in a cellular setting we employed cultures of human tumor cells that were induced to produce MMP-9 over a 200-fold concentration range (0.03 to 8.1 nM). The secreted levels of TIMPs in all the induced cultures remain relatively constant at 1-4 nM. Quantitation of the zymogen/active enzyme status of MMP-9 in the cultures indicates that even in the presence of potential activators, the molar ratio of endogenous MMP-9 to TIMP dictates whether proMMP-9 activation can progress. When the MMP-9/TIMP ratio exceeds 1.0, MMP-9 activation progresses, but only via an interacting protease cascade involving plasmin and stromelysin 1 (MMP-3). Plasmin, generated by the endogenous plasminogen activator (uPA), is not an efficient activator of proMMP-9. Plasmin, however, is very efficient at generating active MMP-3 from exogenously added proMMP-3. The activated MMP-3, when its concentration exceeds that to TIMP, becomes a potent activator of proMMP-9. Addition to the cultures of already-activated MMP-3 relinquishes the requirement for plasminogen and proMMP-3 additions and results in direct activation of the endogenous proMMP-9. The activated MMP-9 enhances the invasive phenotype of the cultured cells as their ability to transverse basement membrane is significantly increased following zymogen activation. That this enhanced tissue remodeling capability is due to the activation of MMP-9 is demonstrated through the use of a specific anti-MMP-9-blocking monoclonal antibody.

Activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) via a converging plasmin/stromelysin-1 cascade enhances tumor cell invasion.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) may play a critical catalytic role in tissue remodeling in vivo, but it is secreted by cells as a stable, inactive zymogen, pro-MMP-9, and requires activation for catalytic function. A number of proteolytic enzymes activate pro-MMP-9 in vitro, but the natural activator(s) of MMP-9 is unknown. To examine MMP-9 activation in a cellular setting we employed cultures of human tumor cells (MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells) that were induced to produce MMP-9 over a 200-fold concentration range (0.03-8.1 nM). The levels of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) in the induced cultures remain relatively constant at 1-4 nM. Quantitation of the zymogen/active enzyme status of MMP-9 in the MDA-MB-231 cultures indicates that even in the presence of potential activators, the molar ratio of endogenous MMP-9 to TIMP dictates whether pro-MMP-9 activation can progress. When the MMP-9/TIMP ratio exceeds 1.0, MMP-9 activation progresses, but through an interacting protease cascade involving plasmin and stromelysin 1 (MMP-3). Plasmin, generated by the endogenous urokinase-type plasminogen activator, is not an efficient activator of pro-MMP-9, neither the secreted pro-MMP-9 nor the very low levels of pro-MMP-9 associated with intact cells. Although plasmin can proteolytically process pro-MMP-9, this limited action does not yield an enzymatically active MMP-9, nor does it cause the MMP-9 to be more susceptible to activation. Plasmin, however, is very efficient at generating active MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) from exogenously added pro-MMP-3. The activated MMP-3 becomes a potent activator of the 92-kDa pro-MMP-9, yielding an 82-kDa species that is enzymatically active in solution and represents up to 50-75% conversion of the zymogen. The activated MMP-9 enhances the invasive phenotype of the cultured cells as their ability to both degrade extracellular matrix and transverse basement membrane is significantly increased following zymogen activation. That this enhanced tissue remodelling capability is due to the activation of MMP-9 is demonstrated through the use of a specific anti-MMP-9 blocking monoclonal antibody.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase 9 activation by a specific monoclonal antibody.

Two members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)1 family of enzymes are expressed at elevated levels in highly aggressive human tumor cells and have been implicated in the catalytic functions of extracellular proteolysis. The zymogen forms of these enzymes are designated proMMP-2 and proMMP-9, also known as 72kDa and 92kDa type IV collagenases/gelatinases, respectively. The MMP family of enzymes can be activated in vitro by a number of compounds including the organomercurial 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). The natural or in vivo activators of MMP-2 and MMP-9 are at present unknown. A partially purified preparation of MMP-9 was used to immunize mice for the isolation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Three IgG1 mAbs were identified by immunoreactivity with purified MMP-9 and are designated 6-6B, 7-11C, and 8-3H. These mAbs react specifically with MMP-9 by ELISA and Western blot. Additionally, these mAbs react with N-glycanase treated 92kDa protein. These mAbs were tested for their ability to inhibit enzyme activation in a radio-labeled gelatin assay. The 6-6B mAb inhibited the activation of MMP-9, but had no effect on MMP-2. These mAbs are highly specific to human MMP-9 and the 6-6B mAb will be extremely useful for examining the autolytic and catalytic activity of MMP-9 in normal and abnormal biological processes.