We have studied the expression of
gelatinase A,
gelatinase B,
interstitial collagenase,
tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and
TIMP-2 in reactive lymphoid cells, as well as in a series of cell lines derived from
neoplasms of B- and T-cell lineage. Using both Northern blot analysis and zymography,
gelatinase B activity was detected by zymography in two Burkitt cell lines and in a tonsillar cell
suspension, while
gelatinase A and
interstitial collagenase activities were not detected by either method.
TIMP-1 expression was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis in the multipotential neoplastic K-562 cell line, the high grade Burkitt's
B-cell lymphoma lines, isolated tonsillar B cells and at low levels in peripheral blood T cells, but was not expressed in any of the neoplastic T-cell lines or isolated peripheral blood B cells. In contrast,
TIMP-2 expression was restricted to tissues containing cells of T-cell lineage with high levels being observed in the neoplastic T-cell lines and lower levels in normal peripheral blood T cells and hyperplastic tonsil. Expression of
TIMP-1 and
TIMP-2 was confirmed at the
protein level by reverse zymography and immunofluorescence assays using antihuman TIMP polyclonal
antibodies. Expression of
gelatinase B by the high grade B-cell
Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines is consistent with previous findings in
large cell immunoblastic lymphomas and indicates that this
enzyme may play an important role in high grade non-Hodgkin's
lymphomas. TIMP expression correlated with cell lineage in that
TIMP-1 was primarily observed in B cells and
TIMP-2 was restricted to T cells.