Mmp11, also known as stromelysin-3, is a zinc-dependent endopeptidase belonging to the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family. It is involved in extracellular matrix degradation and remodeling, and has been associated with pathways related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, tumor angiogenesis, and migration [2,3,5]. MMPs, including Mmp11, play crucial roles in various biological processes such as wound healing, and are also implicated in many diseases like cancer [1-8].

In diabetic foot ulcers, fibroblasts overexpressing Mmp11 are enriched in patients with healing wounds, indicating its potential role in the wound-healing microenvironment [1]. In pancreatic cancer, cancer-associated fibroblast-derived Mmp11 promotes tumor progression. Knockdown of Mmp11 in cancer-associated fibroblasts impairs the proliferative and invasive abilities of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, and suppresses tumor growth and liver metastasis in nude mice, suggesting that Mmp11 drives pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT pathway rather than extracellular matrix remodeling [3]. In castration-resistant prostate cancer, siRNA knockdown of Mmp11 in cancer cells blocks the delipidation and dedifferentiation of mature adipocytes, reduces lipid uptake and utilization of cancer cells, and significantly delays tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model [4].

In conclusion, Mmp11 is a key enzyme in extracellular matrix-related processes. Studies using gene-knockdown models in mice have revealed its importance in promoting tumor progression in pancreatic and prostate cancers, and its potential role in diabetic foot ulcer healing. These findings highlight the significance of Mmp11 in disease-related biological processes and suggest that it could be a potential therapeutic target.