Abstract
Abstract Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular
zinc-dependent endopeptidases involved in the
degradation and remodelling of extracellular matrix in
physiological and pathological processes. MMPs also have
a role on cell proliferation, migration, differentiation,
angiogenesis and apoptosis. Umbilical cord is a special
organ subjected to many changes during pre-natal life and
whose cells can maintain a certain degree of plasticity also
in post-natal period; for example recently they have been
used as a source of stem cells. In this work we investigated
the expression of MMPs in human umbilical cord
and Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC)
though immunohistochemistry, RT–PCR and gelatin
zymography. MMP-2 protein is expressed in the amniotic
epithelium of human umbilical cord and in few sub-epithelial
fibroblasts, while MMP-3 and MMP-10 only in the
umbilical epithelium. MMP-8, MMP-9 and MMP-13
immunoreactivity is localised in the epithelium and in
Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal cells. Immunocytochemistry
also revealed protein expression for MMP-2, 3, 8, 9 and 10
in cultured HUVEC. In agreement with immunohistochemical
data, RT–PCR analysis performed on samples of
whole umbilical cord confirmed the transcriptional
expression for the genes encoding all the six matrix
metalloproteinases investigated, while in HUVEC only the
expression of MMP-2, 3, 9, 10 and 13 mRNAs was
detected. Gelatin zymograpgy showed a clear MMP-2 and
MMP-9 enzymatic activity in the conditioned medium of
HUVEC at different culture passages, suggesting that
HUVEC secrete gelatinases, that afterwards undergo
extracellular activation, and this ability is not affected by
passage number.
Lingua originale | English |
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pagine (da-a) | 366-377 |
Numero di pagine | 10 |
Rivista | Journal of Molecular Histology |
Volume | 41 |
Stato di pubblicazione | Published - 2010 |
Pubblicato esternamente | Sì |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- ???subjectarea.asjc.1300.1307???
- ???subjectarea.asjc.1300.1314???
- ???subjectarea.asjc.2700.2722???