Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-4 Triggers Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer Cells

PLoS One. 2015 Aug 20;10(8):e0135929. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135929. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-4 (TIMP-4) is a member of extracellular matrix (ECM) metalloproteinases inhibitors that has pleiotropic functions. However, TIMP-4 roles in carcinogenesis are not well understood. Cell viability and flow cytometer assays were employed to evaluate cell death differences between H-Vector and H-TIMP-4 cell lines. Immunobloting and semi-quantitative RT-PCR were used to evaluate the expression of apoptosis regulators. We showed that TIMP-4 has apoptosis-sensitizing effects towards several death stimuli. Consistent with these findings, regulators of apoptosis from Inhibitors of Apoptosis Proteins (IAP), FLICE-like inhibitor proteins (FLIP) and Bcl-2 family members were modulated by TIMP-4. In addition, TIMP-4 knockdown resulted in cell survival increase after serum deprivation, as assessed by clonogenic cell analyses. This report shows that TIMP-4 regulates carcinogenesis through apoptosis activation in cervical cancer cells. Understanding TIMP-4 effects in tumorigenesis may provide clues for future therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-4
  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / physiology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases
  • Caspases

Grants and funding

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, Grants 1616519, 87855, conacyt.mx. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.