Matrix Metalloproteinases
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2019)
Special Issue Editor
Interests: proteinases in tumor invasion and angiogenesis; matrix metalloproteinases; signaling; mesenchymal stem cells
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of twenty-four proteolytic enzymes that degrade multiple components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), mediate the physiological and pathological remodeling of tissues. While the substrates of MMPs are comprised of most protein components of the ECM, MMPs also have wide-reaching effects on a variety of other proteins, including the intracellular and cell membrane proteins that control intracellular signaling through proteolytic and non-proteolytic mechanisms. MMPs have been implicated in a number of physiological and pathological processes incuding neoplasia, osteogenesis, myocardial infarction, osteoarthritis, inflammation, obesity and lipodystrophy. A large body of experimental and clinical evidence has implicated MMPs in tumor invasion, neoangiogenesis and metastasis, indicating MMPs as an ideal pharmacological target for cancer therapy. Synthetic broad-spectrum MMP inhibitors (MMPIs) were developed and studied in various clinical trials, but, unexpectedly, none proved efficaceous and most had unforeseen side effects. Our knowledge of the biochemistry and biology of MMPs has grown considerably in the 15 years since the clinical trials of MMPIs were halted. Novel, proteolytic and non-proteolytic functions of MMPs have been discovered. New MMPIs have been designed that are highly selective and inhibit only deleterious functions of specific MMPs. Pharmaceuticals invites scientists to submit to this Special Issue original and review articles of basic science, preclinical and clinical findings that can contribute to our understanding of the biology and biochemistry of MMPs and MMPIs.
Dr. Paolo G. Mignatti
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Matrix metalloproteinases
- Tissue remodeling
- Tumor invasion
- Angiogenesis
- Intracellular signaling
- Mesenchymal stem cells
- Differentiation
- Postnatal development
