Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 2 and matrix metalloproteinase activity in the serum and lungs of mice with lewis lung carcinoma.

We studied the content of tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) and activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) in the serum and lungs of mice with Lewis lung carcinoma metastasizing into the lung. Metastasizing was associated with increased serum content of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 (only on day 20 at the terminal stage of the tumor process). These data confirm the hypothesis on pro-tumorigenic role of TIMP-1 in the serum. Locally, the development of metastases was associated with a decrease in TIPM-1 concentration (day 7), an increase in TIMP-2 concentration (days 7 and 20), and elevated activity of MMP at all terms of the study (days 7, 15, and 20). Increased concentration of TIMP-2 in the lungs (but not in the serum) can be regarded as an indicator of Lewis lung carcinoma metastasizing.