Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-28 in human normal cytotrophoblast cells and a choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3

Abstract

There are striking similiarities present between the behavior of invasive placental cells and that of invasive cancer cells. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are one of the most important mediators. MMP-28, the new member of MMPs, was sequenced and identified recently. Expression of MMP-28 mRNA and protein in the cytotrophoblast cells and a choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3 cell, was conducted by zymography, RT-PCR and Northern blot. There is MMP-28 mRNA expression in both the cytotrophoblast cells and JEG-3 cells by RT-PCR. The activity of MMP-28 in cytotrophoblast cells was significantly weaker than that in JEG-3 (P < 0.01) by zymography. Furthermore, mRNA expression of MMP-28 was significantly stronger (P < 0.001) in JEG-3 than in human cytotrophoblast cells in a time-dependent way by Northern Blot. Our results suggest that MMP-28 may play a role in some of the tissue-remodeling events associated with normal pregnancy and tumor progression.