Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate suppresses interleukin 1-induced synthesis of matrix metalloproteinases but not of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases in human uterine cervical fibroblasts.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) mediates many cellular functions, but the signal transduction mechanisms of its actions are not clearly understood. Here, we have examined the exact participation of cAMP in the IL-1-induced production of the precursors of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) and their specific inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) in human uterine cervical fibroblasts. IL-1 significantly augmented the production of proMMP-1 (vertebrate procollagenase), proMMP-3 (prostromelysin), and TIMP without detectable changes in the intracellular level of cAMP. Dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2cAMP) and the cAMP elevating agent (forskolin) did not replace IL-1 as MMP inducers. On the contrary, the IL-1-mediated induction of proMMP-1 and proMMP-3 was significantly suppressed by treatment of the cells with Bt2cAMP, forskolin, or theophylline. The suppressive effect of Bt2cAMP on the IL-1-induced production of proMMP-1 and -3 was not due to the inhibition of zymogen secretion, but resulted from the decrease in the steady-state levels of proMMP-1 and proMMP-3 mRNAs. In contrast, Bt2cAMP slightly enhanced the IL-1-induced production of TIMP. The synthesis of proMMP-2 (72-kDa progelatinase/type IV procollagenase) was not altered by IL-1 and/or Bt2cAMP. These results suggest, first, that induction of proMMP-1 and -3 synthesis may share similar transduction pathways but they are distinct from those for proMMP-2 and TIMP synthesis and, second, that cAMP does not function as a second messenger in the MMPs' induction upon IL-1 stimulation in human uterine cervical fibroblasts. Thus, it is further suggested that the system that increases the intracellular cAMP level may be involved in negative regulation of proMMP-1 and -3 production.