Matrix Metalloproteinases, Synaptic Injury, and Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system in which immune mediated damage to myelin is characteristic. For an overview of this condition and its pathophysiology, please refer to one of many excellent published reviews (Sorensen and Ransohoff, 1998; Weiner, 2009). To follow, is a discussion focused on the possibility that synaptic injury occurs in at least a subset of patients, and that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a role in such

MMP-7 cleaves the NR1 NMDA receptor subunit and modifies NMDA receptor function

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent enzymes that play a role in the inflammatory response. These enzymes have been well studied in the context of cancer biology and inflammation. Recent studies, however, suggest that these enzymes also play roles in brain development and neurodegenerative disease. Select MMPs can target proteins critical to synaptic structure and neuronal survival, including integrins and cadherins. Here, we show that one member of the MMP family, MMP-7, which may be released from cells, including microglia, can target a protein critical to synaptic function. Through analysis of extracts from murine cortical slice preparations, we show that MMP-7 cleaves the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor to generate an N-terminal fragment of ∼65 kDa. Moreover, studies with recombinant protein show that MMP-7-mediated cleavage of NR1 occurs at amino acid 517, which is extracellular and just distal to the first transmembrane domain. Data suggest that NR2A, which shares sequence homology with NR1, is also cleaved following treatment of slices with MMP-7, while select AMPA receptor subunits are not. Consistent with a potential effect of MMP-7 on ligand binding, additional experiments demonstrate that NMDA-mediated calcium flux is significantly diminished by MMP-7 pretreatment of cultures. In addition, the AMPA/NMDA ratio is increased by MMP-7 pretreatment. These data suggest that synaptic function may be altered in neurological conditions associated with increased levels of MMP-7.—Szklarczyk, A., Ewaleifoh, O., Beique, J.-C., Wang, Y., Knorr, D., Haughey, N., Malpica, T., Mattson, M. P., Huganir, R., Conant, K. MMP-7 cleaves the NR1 NMDA receptor subunit and modifies NMDA receptor function

Cleavage of myelin associated glycoprotein by matrix metalloproteinases

Derivative myelin associated glycoprotein (dMAG) results from proteolysis of transmembrane MAG and can inhibit axonal growth. We have tested the ability of certain matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) elevated with inflammatory and demyelinating diseases to cleave MAG. We show MMP-2, MMP-7 and MMP-9, but not MMP-1, cleave recombinant human MAG. Cleavage by MMP-7 occurs at Leu 509, just distal to the transmembrane domain and, to a lesser extent, at Met 234. We also show that MMP-7 cleaves MAG expressed on the external surface of CHO cells, releasing fragments that accumulate in the medium over periods of up to 48 h or more and that are able to inhibit outgrowth by dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. We conclude that MMPs may have the potential both to disrupt MAG dependent axon–glia communication and to generate bioactive fragments that can inhibit neurite growth