Invasion-associated MMP-2 and MMP-9 are up-regulated intracellularly in concert with apoptosis linked to melanoma cell detachment.

Matrix metalloproteinases, like MMP-2 and MMP-9 gelatinases, show multiple functions as extracellular/cell-surface enzymes, and are broadly recognised for their matrix-degrading ability and involvement in cell motility. Given that adherent cells have reduced attachment during migration and also detach from their substratum during apoptosis, we now investigated whether extracellular matrix-bound gelatinases and intracellular MMP-2 and MMP-9 are modified with progression of death-inducing stimuli. This report shows that melanoma cells undergoing death in response to 2-acetyl furanonaphtoquinone (FNQ) as evidenced by greater Annexin V binding, increased cytosolic expression of pro-MMP-2 and intracellular activation of particulate MMP-9. These changes were associated with early activation of a substrate-attached 40 kDa gelatinase reciprocal with changes in extracellular matrix-bound activated MMP-2. A subsequent activation of secreted MMP-9 and induction of apoptosis-associated fragmentation of poly ADP-Ribose polymerase (PARP) correlated with cell detachment. Our data suggests that intracellularly activated gelatinases may cleave survival-associated substrates other than gelatin that share the Gly-Leu/Iso-Pro like collagen-binding acetylcholinesterase, thereby linking them to apoptosis associated with cell detachment.