Membrane-Bound Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 on Activated Polymorphonuclear Cells Is a Potent, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-Resistant Collagenase and Serpinase

Abstract

Little is known about the cell biology or the biologic roles of polymorphonuclear cell (PMN)-derived matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8). When activated with proinflammatory mediators, human PMN release only ∼15–20% of their content of MMP-8 (∼60 ng/106 cells) exclusively as latent pro-MMP-8. However, activated PMN incubated on type I collagen are associated with pericellular collagenase activity even when bathed in serum. PMN pericellular collagenase activity is attributable to membrane-bound MMP-8 because: 1) MMP-8 is expressed in an inducible manner in both pro- and active forms on the surface of human PMN; 2) studies of activated PMN from mice genetically deficient in MMP-8 (MMP-8−/−) vs wild-type (WT) mice show that membrane-bound MMP-8 accounts for 92% of the MMP-mediated, PMN surface type I collagenase activity; and 3) human membrane-bound MMP-8 on PMN cleaves types I and II collagens, and α1-proteinase inhibitor, but is substantially resistant to inhibition by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2. Binding of MMP-8 to the PMN surface promotes its stability because soluble MMP-8 has t1/2 = 7.5 h at 37°C, but membrane-bound MMP-8 retains >80% of its activity after incubation at 37°C for 18 h. Studies of MMP-8−/− vs WT mice given intratracheal LPS demonstrate that 24 h after intratracheal LPS, MMP-8−/− mice have 2-fold greater accumulation of PMN in the alveolar space than WT mice. Thus, MMP-8 has an unexpected, anti-inflammatory role during acute lung injury in mice. TIMP-resistant, active MMP-8 expressed on the surface of activated PMN is likely to be an important form of MMP-8, regulating lung inflammation and collagen turnover in vivo.