Activation of a recombinant membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) by furin and its interaction with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2.

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) initiates the activation of the zymogen progelatinase A/ 72-kDa type IV collagenase by cleavage of the Asn66-Leu peptide bond. We previously pointed out that MT1-MMP possesses a unique amino acid sequence Arg-Arg-Lys-Arg111 which is a potential recognition sequence for furin-like proteases (Nature, 370 (1994) 61-65). Here, using a recombinant MT1-MMP expressed in Escherichia coli we demonstrated that furin specifically cleaves MT1-MMP between Arg111-Tyr in vitro, which resulted in a stimulation of progelatinase A-activation function. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2 inhibited activation of progelatinase A by forming a stable complex with activated MT1-MMP.