Udział metaloproteinaz macierzy pozakomórkowej (MMPs) w progresji czerniaka

*Aleksandra Zielińska, Małgorzata Latocha, Dariusz Kuśmierz, Elektra Sliupkas-Dyrda

Summary
Melanoma (melanoma malignum) belongs to the group of neoplasms with extremly metastatic ability via lymphatic vessels as well as blood vessels. Many data suggest correlation between melanoma progression and proteolitic enzymes expression in cancer cells. The most important enzymes involved in melanoma progression are plasminogen actovators and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
MMPs are involved in physiological as well pathological processes and are engaged in remodeling and degradation of basement membrane and compounds of extracellular matrix. In cancer cells the changes in matrix metalloproteinases expression profile and changes of MMPs genes activity as well as the enzymatic activity of the proteinas are observed. It is assumed, the correlation exist between the expression profile as well as the expression level of MMPs enzymes and the stage of melanoma and the influence on prediction.
MMPs activity is regulated by interreaction with endogenous inhibitors: TIMP-1, -2, -3 and -4. The loss of balance between MMPs expression and the expression of TIMPs (tissue inhinitors of MMPs) is the reason of the exscessive degradation of extracellular matrix compounds during tumor cells invasion. Melanoma cells may produce a number of MMPs, including: MMP-1, -2, -9, -13, -14 as well as theirs inhibitors: TIMP-1, -2, -3. Individual MMPs and TIMPs are engaged in different stages of melanoma progression. Therefore, those enzymes may be considered as potential melanoma biomarkers used in diagnosis and prediction of this cancer.

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