Role of metalloproteinases in melanoma growth and progression

Abstract

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-containing endopeptidases with an extensive range of substrate specificities. Together, these enzymes are able to degrade various components of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and driven important physiological and pathological process, such as reproduction, wound healing, inflammation, and cancer development. In melanoma,MMPsare involved in growth, invasion, and metastasis process. In this disease, as in other tumors, the degradation of ECM permits angiogenesis and the migration of melanoma cells to distant sites. In this chapter, we focus on the functional characteristic of the main MMPs and their contributions to melanoma development.