The role of stromelysin-1 in stromal-epithelial interactions and cancer

Stromelysin-1 was one of the first proteinases found to be associated with cancer. In this review we describe the role of stromelysin-1 in normal mammary gland involution. When stromelysin-1 is overexpressed in transgenic mice the mammary gland undergoes precocious involution and is predisposed to forming a reactive stroma resembling that of a wound site or a tumor. Stromelysin-1 may act as an oncogene because transgenic mice expressing an active form of the enzyme develop mammary tumors. These observations suggest that stromelysin-1 and other matrix metalloproteinases may be useful targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer.