MMP-2 expression in uveal melanoma: differential activation status dictated by the cellular environment

MMPs are recognized to play a major role in tumor progression and metastasis of many forms of cancers. The purpose of this study was to compare the expression and activity of MMP-2 in uveal melanoma cell lines grown either in vitro on plastic culture plates or in vivo as tumors produced in chick embryos.

The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was used to evaluate the tumorigenic potential of uveal melanoma cell lines derived either from the primary uveal melanoma tumor isolated from three different patients (cell lines SP6.5, SP8.0, and TP31) or from a metastatic lesion derived from the liver of a patient diagnosed with uveal melanoma (cell line H79). The presence of MMP-2 in the vicinity of the tumor cells was determined by immunofluorescence analyses. Gelatin zymography was used for the detection of latent and activated forms of MMP-2 in uveal melanoma cell lines when grown in vitro on plastic, or in the solid tumors these cell lines produced in vivo on the CAM of the chick embryo. The gelatinase activity was quantified by densitometric analyses and the active/(active+pro-form) ratio was calculated as the MMP-2 activation ratio. Western blot analyses were performed to confirm the zymographic profile.

Only the inactive form of MMP-2 was expressed and secreted in vitro by all uveal melanoma cell lines, higher levels being found for the liver-derived H79 cell line whereas SP8.0 only expressed MMP-2 to a very low level. On the other hand, all solid tumors produced in the CAM from these cell lines expressed and secreted, although to varying levels (SP6.5 and SP8.0, TP31 and H79), primarily the active form of MMP-2. Gelatinolytic activities of active MMP-2 were significantly higher in uveal melanoma tissues than in the non-neoplastic CAM, as revealed by the measurement of the activation ratio. The immunolocalization of MMP-2 revealed that all cell lines were MMP-2-positive although a reduced and more diffuse staining was observed for H79 and SP6.5 than in SP8.0 and TP31 cells.

These results suggest the activation of proMMP-2 as an important event in the process of uveal melanoma progression. An elevated active to inactive MMP-2 ratio in the tumor environment of uveal melanoma suggests that a potential MMP-2 activity could be related to the progression of this type of cancer.