Memtsas Vassilios, Zarros Apostolos, Theocharis Stamatios
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, GR-11527, Athens, Greece.
Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2009 Sep;13(9):1105-20. doi: 10.1517/14728220903136767.
MMPs are a group of zinc-dependent endopeptidases implicated in the degradation of extracellular matrix components. Angiogenesis, wound healing and tissue remodeling are the main processes in which MMPs have been implicated. MMPs also seem to play a role in the pathophysiological processes during tumorigenesis and are thought to have predictive value for clinical outcome. Alterations in the regulation of MMP expression are considered to be of significant importance in the development and progression of gynecological malignancies.
OBJECTIVES/METHODS: This study provides a literature review on the involvement of MMPs in the development and progression of gynecological malignancies, their clinical significance and the potential use of natural and/or synthetic MMP Inhibitors (MMPIs) as a more targeted therapeutic approach to these neoplasms.
RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: There is mounting evidence that MMPs play an important role in development and progression of gynecological malignancies. Current results provide the basis for further investigation of their role in malignancies, the therapeutic potential of their inhibition and the side-effects that can be expected from the modulation of matrix remodeling during therapeutic intervention. Focused research on the combination of MMPIs with cytotoxic and/or antiangiogenic compounds might provide the key to more successful therapeutic approaches towards gynecological and other malignancies.
基质金属蛋白酶（MMPs）是一组锌依赖性内肽酶，与细胞外基质成分的降解有关。血管生成、伤口愈合和组织重塑是MMPs参与的主要过程。MMPs似乎在肿瘤发生的病理生理过程中也发挥作用，并且被认为对临床结果具有预测价值。MMP表达调控的改变在妇科恶性肿瘤的发生和发展中被认为具有重要意义。
目的/方法：本研究对MMPs在妇科恶性肿瘤发生和发展中的作用、其临床意义以及天然和/或合成的MMP抑制剂（MMPIs）作为针对这些肿瘤的更具靶向性治疗方法的潜在用途进行了文献综述。
结果/结论：越来越多的证据表明，MMPs在妇科恶性肿瘤的发生和发展中起重要作用。目前的结果为进一步研究它们在恶性肿瘤中的作用、抑制它们的治疗潜力以及治疗干预期间基质重塑调节可能产生的副作用提供了基础。对MMPIs与细胞毒性和/或抗血管生成化合物联合使用的重点研究可能为治疗妇科及其他恶性肿瘤的更成功方法提供关键。
