Inhibition of MT1-MMP activity using functional antibody fragments selected against its hemopexin domain

• Published in: The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 393 - 403
• Main Authors: Basu, B., Correa de Sampaio, P., Mohammed, H., Fogarasi, M., Corrie, P., Watkins, N.A., Smethurst, P.A., English, W.R., Ouwehand, W.H., Murphy, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2012
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Antibodies; Cancer; Cell Line, Tumor; Collagen - chemistry; Collagen - metabolism; Collagenolysis; Collagens; Hemopexin; Hemopexin - chemistry; Hemopexin - immunology; Human; Humans; Inhibition; Inhibitors; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 - chemistry; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 - immunology; Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; MT1-MMP; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Proteinase; Recombinant; scFv; Single-Chain Antibodies - chemistry; Single-Chain Antibodies - isolation & purification; Single-Chain Antibodies - pharmacology; TIMP-2; RT; Collagenolysis; HRP; Hemopexin; ECM; MT-MMP; MMP; DMEM; Angiogenesis; MT1-MMP; scFv; FCS; NHDF; HUVEC
• ISSN: 1357-2725; 1878-5875
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2011.11.015

The membrane associated MMP, MT1-MMP, is a critical pericellular protease involved in tumour cell invasion and angiogenesis and is highly up-regulated in numerous human cancers. It therefore represents an exciting new therapeutic cancer-specific target. We have generated recombinant human scFv antibodies against the non-catalytic, hemopexin domain of MT1-MMP that modulate its interactions with collagen. One of these is an effective inhibitor of the invasive capacity of cancer cells and of angiogenesis in model systems. This demonstrates that targeting sites outside the catalytic domain presents a potential novel approach to proteinase inhibition that could have applications in cancer therapeutics.