Expression and activity of matrilysins - matrix metalloproteinases 7 and 26 in human urinary bladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary bladder cancer occurs mainly in the elderly and is the fourth most common cancer in humans. The process of metastasis depends on the degradation of the extracellular matrix. The cleavage of its constituent proteins is initiated and prolonged by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) present in both pathological and normal tissues, i.e. MMP-7 and MMP-26, which belong to the matrilysin group. The study aimed to evaluate the expression and activity of both MMPs present at different stages of human bladder cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used western blot and ELISA to determine the expression and content of both MMPs in two different types of tissue: healthy and bladder cancer tissue. The fluorimetric method was used to measure the activity (specific and actual) of the enzymes in the tissues. RESULTS: The content of MMP-7 and MMP-26 was very similar in all tested tissues. Their activities differed in both grades of bladder cancer. In all tested tissues, the specific activity of MMP-7 was significantly higher than that of MMP-26. CONCLUSIONS: The determined differences in the activities of the two matrilysins demonstrate their opposing involvement in different phases of extracellular matrix remodeling and at different stages of tumour development.