Calmodulin differentially modulates the interleukin 1-induced biosynthesis of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases and matrix metalloproteinases in human uterine cervical fibroblasts.

The effects of a specific calmodulin inhibitor, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7) on the synthesis of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) and precursor of matrix metalloproteinase 1/tissue collagenase (proMMP-1) and matrix metalloproteinase 3/stromelysin (proMMP-3), were examined using human uterine cervical fibroblasts in culture. When the cells were treated with human recombinant interleukin 1 alpha, the synthesis of TIMP, proMMP-1, and proMMP-3 was greatly enhanced along with the increase in the steady-state levels of mRNAs for respective proteins. The treatment of the cells with human recombinant interleukin 1 alpha and W-7 further augmented the production of proMMPs-1 and -3 and the accumulation of their mRNAs. In contrast, TIMP production and its steady-state mRNA level were reduced considerably under these conditions. Similar observations were made with another calmodulin inhibitor, trifluoperazine, but not with N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, the weakest inhibitor for calmodulin. These results indicate that calmodulin is required for the interleukin 1-enhanced synthesis of TIMP but it is a suppressor for the synthesis of proMMPs-1 and -3.