Биологическая роль матриксных металлопротеиназ (MMPs) традиционно ассоциируется с обращением компонентов во внеклеточном матриксе и регулировании клеточных функций через тонкий контроль протеолитических процессов большого количества сигнальных молекул. В обзоре приведены новые доказательства функций MMP, значимых при развитии рака молочной железы.
The biological roles of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been traditionally associated with the turnover of the components of the extracellular matrix. MMP regulate cell behavior both through finely controlled proteolytic processing of a large variety of signaling molecules and direct interactions between the different protease and protease inhibitor families forming a complex network with MMPs acting as key components. This makes the ability of tumor cells to change shape and easily move through tissue disorganizing the normal micro architecture. The range of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) functions varies from controlling MMP activities to the inhibition of several of the disintegrin-metalloproteinases, ADAMs and ADAMTSs. Both MMPs and TIMPs regulate tumor progression including tumor angiogenesis. This review describes new accumulated evidences on MMP functions which matter in breast cancer development.