Significant correlations were found between MMP-3 and TIMP-4 levels, and some of the variables studied related to patient characteristics and tumour biology.
In vitro analyses demonstrated that TIMP-4 overexpression or exposure to human recombinant TIMP-4 (hrTIMP4) caused an enrichment of the tumor progenitor cell (TPC) population.
Matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression enhances tumorigenicity as well as tumor-related angiogenesis and is inversely associated with TIMP-4 expression in a model of glioblastoma.
Our data demonstrate a tumor suppressive effect of TIMP-4 against Wilms' tumor and the potential utility of intramuscular delivery of TIMP gene for treatment of kidney derived cancers.