MMP-7 Reviewed as Cancer Biomarker and Therapeutic Target
This review consolidates evidence on matrix metalloproteinase-7 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker across multiple cancer types. MMP-7 expression correlates with tumour proliferation, metastasis, and invasion, and its expression profile has been proposed as a novel serum or tissue biomarker. For clinical laboratories, MMP-7 represents an accessible immunoassay-based marker, though its clinical utility requires further prospective validation before routine adoption.
The original study
Roles of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) in cancer.
- Authors
- Liao HY, Da CM, Liao B, Zhang HH
- Journal
- Clinical biochemistry
- Type
- Journal Article, Review
- PMID
- 33713636
Original abstract
Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) is a small proteolytic enzyme that secretes zinc and calcium endopeptidases. It can degrade a variety of extracellular matrix substrates and other substrates and plays important regulatory roles in many human pathophysiological processes. Since its discovery, MMP-7 has been recognized as a regulatory protein in wound healing, bone growth, and remodeling. Later, MMP-7 was reported to regulate the occurrence and development of cancers and mediate the proliferation, differentiation, metastasis, and invasion of several types of cancer cells via various mechanisms. Thus, matrix metalloproteinase-7 may be a promising tumor biomarker and therapeutic target. The expression of MMP-7 correlates with the clinical characteristics of cancer patients, and its expression profile is a new diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for a variety of human diseases. Hence, manipulating the expression or function of MMP-7 may be a potential treatment strategy for different diseases including cancers. This review summarizes the role played by MMP-7 in carcinogenesis of several human cancers, underlying mechanisms, and its clinical significance of the occurrence and development of cancers.