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1: Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2008 Dec;27(4):679-90.Click here to read Links

Imaging matrix metalloproteinases in cancer.

Scherer RL, McIntyre JO, Matrisian LM.

Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. randy.l.scherer@vanderbilt.edu

Early detection of both primary tumors and metastatic disease remains a major challenge in the diagnosis and staging of cancer. The recognition of the role of MMPs in both the growth and metastasis of tumors has guided the development not only of therapeutic strategies utilizing synthetic, small-molecule MMP inhibitors (MMPIs), but has also catalyzed methods to detect and image tumors in vivo by means of tumor-associated proteolytic activity. These imaging approaches target MMPs involved in cancer progression via contrast agents linked to MMPIs or to MMP selective and specific substrates with sensitivity enhanced by amplification during enzymatic processing. This review draws attention to a variety of strategies utilized to image MMP activity in vivo.

PMID: 18465089 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]