Study of MT1-MMP in cancer

癌细胞通常对周围组织具有破坏性，这种活性是细胞继续异常生长、侵袭和形成转移性肿瘤结节所必需的。癌细胞还通过产生与正常组织成分不同的组织成分，以及通过蛋白质加工改变细胞外蛋白质的完整性来改变肿瘤微环境。蛋白质在组织空间的降解和加工是由细胞外蛋白水解酶介导的。膜型基质金属蛋白酶1(MT1-MMPs)是一种在癌细胞中表达的胞外蛋白。在这项研究中，我们分析了MT1-基质金属蛋白酶的多维功能及其与调节细胞生长和侵袭的细胞内系统的协调作用。结果提示，MT1-MMPs在肿瘤细胞恶性表型的获得过程中起着正常的点调节作用。

Cancer cells are usually destructive against surrounding tissue and this activity is necessary for the cells to continue grow abnormally, invade and form metastatic tumor nodules. Cancer cells also alter the tumor microenvironment by producing different tissue constituents from the normal ones and by changing the integrity of extracellular proteins via protein processing. Degradation and processing of proteins in the tissue space are mediated by extracellular proteases. Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is one of such extracellular proteases expressed in cancer cells. In this study, we analyzed multidimensional functions of MT1-MMP and their coordinated action with intracellular systems regulating cell growth and invasion. The results suggest that MT1-MMP is important acting as a nordal point regulator during acquisition of malignant phenotype of cancer cells.