Matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression is induced by Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 C-terminal activation regions 1 and 2.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is closely associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is a highly metastatic malignant tumor. An important activity in tumor invasion and metastasis is that of the 92-kDa type IV collagenase or gelatinase, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), which mediates the degradation of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix. The expression of MMP-9 has been shown to be enhanced by the EBV oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). LMP-1, which is expressed in NPC, has two essential signaling domains within the carboxy terminus, termed C-terminal activation regions 1 (CTAR-1) and CTAR-2. This study reveals that either signaling domain can activate the MMP-9 promoter and induce MMP-9 activity; however, LMP-1 deletion mutants lacking either CTAR-1 or CTAR-2 had a decreased ability to induce MMP-9 expression. The deletion of both activation regions completely abolished the induction of MMP-9 activity, while the cotransfection of both the CTAR-1 and CTAR-2 deletion mutants restored MMP-9 activity to levels produced by wild-type LMP-1. The NF-kappaB and activator protein 1 (AP-1) binding sites in the MMP-9 promoter were essential for the activation of MMP-9 gene expression by both CTAR-1 and CTAR-2. The induction of MMP-9 expression by LMP-1 and both CTAR-1 and CTAR-2 mutants was blocked by the overexpression of IkappaB. The tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) pathway also contributed to the activation of the MMP-9 promoter as shown by the use of TRAF-2 and TRAF-3 dominant-negative constructs. These data indicate that the activation of both the NF-kappaB and AP-1 pathways by LMP-1, CTAR-1, and CTAR-2 is necessary for the activation of MMP-9 expression. In NPC, LMP-1 may contribute to invasiveness and metastasis through the induction of MMP-9 transcription and enzymatic activity.