Research Papers:
Effect of TIMPs and their minimally engineered variants in blocking invasion and migration of brain cancer cells
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Abstract
Elham Taheri1 and Maryam Raeeszadeh-Sarmazdeh1
1 Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Correspondence to:
Maryam Raeeszadeh-Sarmazdeh, | email: | [email protected] |
Keywords: TIMP minimal variants; glioblastoma multiforme (GBM); brain cancer; MMP inhibitors
Abbreviations: MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; TIMP: tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases; GBM: glioblastoma multiforme
Received: June 05, 2024 Accepted: January 03, 2025 Published: February 28, 2025
ABSTRACT
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are crucial in remodeling the extracellular matrix (ECM), modulating key processes involved in cancer progression, such as migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The overexpression of MMPs, particularly MMP-9, is markedly observed in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive primary brain tumor known for its diffuse and infiltrative nature. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), endogenous MMP inhibitors, offer significant therapeutic potential due to their wider interaction interfaces relative to small molecule inhibitors. Here, we studied the effect of wild-type human TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 and minimal TIMP variants (mTC1 and mTC3), previously engineered for MMP inhibition, on migration and invasion of GBM cells. Our study focused on minimal TIMP variants, due to their small molecular size and potential in higher cellular uptake and delivery, to assess their potential in cell-based assays. The results demonstrated that the minimal TIMP variants, mTC1, and mTC3, effectively inhibit MMP activity underscoring their potential to limit tumor invasion and progression. Given the lethal nature of GBM and the limited efficacy of current therapies, the application of TIMPs and their engineered minimal variants represents a novel and potentially transformative approach to regulating MMP activity in GBM.

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