Figure 7

Effect of cCAF on the gelatinases, MMP-2 and -9. (A) Gelatin zymography of supernatants from cCAF-treated fibroblasts. The cells produce only detectable levels of pro-MMP-2 and neither cCAF nor its terminal peptides affects MMP activity levels. No proMMP-9 or activated form, were detected. Human aortic endothelial cells (hAEC) which produce and activate MMP-2 and produce pro-MMP-9 were used as positive control. (B) Immunoblots of the fibroblast supernatants. The levels of the MMP-1 protein are slightly but reproducibly decreased by treatment with the whole cCAF molecule but not by either of its terminal peptides. The levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, the natural inhibitors for some MMPs, are not affected by treatment with cCAF or its peptides.