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Spencer et al. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2022;8:2 Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2021.174
Metastasis and Treatment

Review Open Access

The role of MT1-MMP in the progression and
metastasis of osteosarcoma

Hannah L. M. Spencer, Steven D. Shnyder, Paul M. Loadman, Robert A. Falconer

Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK.
Correspondence to: Prof. Robert A. Falconer, Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford,
BD7 1DP, UK. E-mail: r.a.falconer1@bradford.ac.uk

How to cite this article: Spencer HLM, Shnyder SD, Loadman PM, Falconer RA. The role of MT1-MMP in the progression and
metastasis of osteosarcoma. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2022;8:2. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2021.174

Received: 6 Sep 2021 First Decision: 26 Oct 2021 Revised: 3 Nov 2021 Accepted: 16 Nov 2021 Published: 14 Jan 2022

Academic Editors: Lucio Miele, RE Coleman Copy Editor: Xi-Jun Chen Production Editor: Xi-Jun Chen

Abstract
The dysregulation of Membrane - type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) has been extensively studied in
numerous cancer types, and plays key roles in angiogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. MT1-MMP is a
predictor of poor prognosis in osteosarcoma (OS), yet the molecular mechanisms of disease progression are
unclear. This review provides a summary of the literature relating to the gene and protein expression of MT1-MMP
(MMP-14) in OS clinical samples, evaluates the expression in cell lines and experimental models, and analyses its
potential role in the progression and metastasis of OS. In addition, the therapeutic potential of MT1-MMP as a drug
target has been assessed. Due to the biological complexity of MMPs, inhibition has proven to be challenging.
However, exploiting the expression and proteolytic capacity of MT1-MMP could open new avenues in the search
for novel, safer and selective drugs for use in OS.

Keywords: Matrix metalloproteinase, membrane-type, osteosarcoma, MT1-MMP

INTRODUCTION
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common form of primary malignant bone tumour and exhibits its highest
prevalence in children and adolescents, with 80% of cases affecting individuals before the age of 20. OS
accounts for less than 1% of all new cancer diagnoses with an age-standardised incidence rate of 0.9 per
100,000 in the UK, affecting 3.4 per million people worldwide each year. The survival rate for those who

© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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