Stetler-Stevenson W G, Hewitt R, Corcoran M
Extracellular Matrix Pathology Section, Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Semin Cancer Biol. 1996 Jun;7(3):147-54. doi: 10.1006/scbi.1996.0020.
Tumor cell invasion is now viewed as dysregulated physiologic invasion. Investigators have started to define the molecular events that are involved in this process. We find that there are many functional similarities with molecular events involved in physiologic process such as angiogenesis and wound healing. Matrix metalloproteinase activity is a common denominator in these pathologic conditions and in normal responses. Studies using endogenous metalloproteinase inhibitors suggest that targeting matrix metalloproteinase activity may prevent tumor cell dissemination. The development and pre-clinical testing of novel, low molecular weight matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors support this concept and suggest that an exciting new era of cancer therapy is on the horizon.
肿瘤细胞侵袭现在被视为失调的生理侵袭。研究人员已开始明确参与这一过程的分子事件。我们发现，其与诸如血管生成和伤口愈合等生理过程中涉及的分子事件存在许多功能上的相似之处。基质金属蛋白酶活性是这些病理状况和正常反应中的一个共同特征。使用内源性金属蛋白酶抑制剂的研究表明，针对基质金属蛋白酶活性可能会阻止肿瘤细胞扩散。新型低分子量基质金属蛋白酶抑制剂的研发和临床前测试支持了这一概念，并表明癌症治疗令人兴奋的新时代即将到来。
