Elastokine-mediated up-regulation of MT1-MMP is triggered by nitric oxide in endothelial cells

Membrane-type I matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been previously reported to be up-regulated in human microvascular endothelial cell-1 line (HMEC) by elastin-derived peptides (elastokines). The aim of the present study was to identify the signaling pathways responsible for this effect. We showed that elastokines such as (VGVAPG)3 peptide and kappa elastin induced nitric oxide (NO) production in a time-, concentration- and receptor-dependent manner as it could be abolished by lactose and a receptor-derived competitive peptide. As evidenced by the use of NO synthase inhibitors, elastokine-mediated up-regulation of MT1-MMP and pseudotube formation on Matrigel required NO production through activation of the PI3-kinase/Akt/NO synthase and NO/cGMP/Erk1/2 pathways. Elastokines induced both PI3-kinase p110γ sub-unit, Akt and Erk1/2 activation, as shown by a transient increase in phospho-Akt and phospho-Erk1/2, reaching a maximum after 5 and 15 min incubation, respectively. Inhibitors of PI3-kinase and MEK1/2 suppressed elastokine-mediated MT1-MMP expression at both the mRNA and protein levels, and decreased the ability of elastokines to accelerate pseudotube formation. Besides, elastokines mediated a time- and concentration-dependent increase of cGMP, suggesting a link between NO and MT1-MMP expression. This was validated by the use of a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, a NO donor and a cGMP analog. The guanylyl cyclase inhibitor abolished the stimulatory effect of elastokines on MT1-MMP expression. Inversely, the cGMP analog, mimicked the effect of both elastokines and NO donor in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Overall, our results demonstrated that such elastokine properties through NO and MT1-MMP may be of importance in the context of tumour progression.