Timp1, also known as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1, is named for its function of inhibiting the proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteases. It can also modulate cell behavior through induction of signaling pathways involved in cell growth, proliferation, and survival [5].

In pancreatic cancer, TIMP1 significantly contributes to neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation in tumors. Abrogation of TIMP1 prolongs the survival of genetically engineered PDAC-bearing mice, indicating its role in promoting cancer progression [1]. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, TIMP1 forms a paracrine feedback loop with CCL7 between cancer cells and Schwann cells, promoting perineural invasion, and knockdown of TIMP1 can block this process [2]. In thyroid cancer, inhibiting TIMP1 expression reduces the malignant biological traits of papillary thyroid carcinoma cells and impedes M2 macrophage polarization while facilitating M1 macrophage polarization [3]. In subarachnoid haemorrhage, TIMP1 protects against blood-brain barrier disruption by inhibiting ubiquitination of astrocytic β1-integrin [4]. In type 2 diabetic osteoporosis, suppressing TIMP1 expression alleviates osteoporosis progression as TIMP1 promotes ferroptosis in osteoblasts [6]. In colorectal cancer, TIMP1 can be used as a biomarker associated with the immunological microenvironment, drug sensitivity, and ferroptosis inhibition [7].

In conclusion, Timp1 plays diverse roles in multiple biological processes and diseases. Model-based research, especially the use of gene knockout or conditional knockout mouse models in some cases, has revealed its significance in cancer progression, neural invasion in pancreatic cancer, immune regulation in thyroid cancer, blood-brain barrier protection, osteoporosis in diabetes, and biomarker potential in colorectal cancer. These findings help in understanding disease mechanisms and potentially developing new treatment strategies.

References:

1. Schoeps, Benjamin, Eckfeld, Celina, Prokopchuk, Olga, Hermann, Chris D, Krüger, Achim. 2021. TIMP1 Triggers Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation in Pancreatic Cancer. In Cancer research, 81, 3568-3579. doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-4125. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33941611/

2. Tian, Zhenfeng, Ou, Guangsheng, Su, Mingxin, Huang, Kaihong, Chen, Yinting. 2022. TIMP1 derived from pancreatic cancer cells stimulates Schwann cells and promotes the occurrence of perineural invasion. In Cancer letters, 546, 215863. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215863. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35961511/

3. Lin, Xu, Zhao, Ruhua, Bin, Yu, Xue, Gang, Wu, Jingfang. 2024. TIMP1 promotes thyroid cancer cell progression through macrophage phenotypic polarization via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In Genomics, 116, 110914. doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110914. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39128817/

4. Tang, Tianchi, Chen, Huaijun, Hu, Libin, Chen, Gao, Liu, Fuyi. 2024. TIMP1 protects against blood-brain barrier disruption after subarachnoid haemorrhage by inhibiting ubiquitination of astrocytic β1-integrin. In Stroke and vascular neurology, 9, 671-684. doi:10.1136/svn-2023-002956. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38485231/

5. Justo, Beatriz Laís, Jasiulionis, Miriam Galvonas. 2021. Characteristics of TIMP1, CD63, and β1-Integrin and the Functional Impact of Their Interaction in Cancer. In International journal of molecular sciences, 22, . doi:10.3390/ijms22179319. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34502227/

6. Peng, Bo, Feng, Zhiwei, Yang, Ao, Geng, Bin, Xia, Yayi. 2024. TIMP1 regulates ferroptosis in osteoblasts by inhibiting TFRC ubiquitination: an in vitro and in vivo study. In Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), 30, 226. doi:10.1186/s10020-024-01000-9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39578773/

7. Qiu, Xiaode, Quan, Guangqian, Ou, Wenquan, Wang, Jian, Wu, Xiaohua. 2023. Unraveling TIMP1: a multifaceted biomarker in colorectal cancer. In Frontiers in genetics, 14, 1265137. doi:10.3389/fgene.2023.1265137. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37842645/