Dear Nina, Your question is very interesting and requires a detailed and complex answer. That is why I am sending you some references and articles (you can find more, of course) hoping that they will be useful for you. Good luck!

 Hi Nina

It s an interesting question. I say so because metallo proteases promote metastasis by degradation of ECM. One would expect that once cells detaches for metastasis they should undergo anoikis mediated apoptosis. But cancer cells have developed multiple mechanism to overcome this mechanism. Conversely it has been shown that knockdown of MMPs induces apoptosis via extrisic pathway of apoptosis.

Thanks

Good Luck 

Thank You so much for your answers. But still i have the same confusion. These all references says that inhibition/knockdown of MMP-2/MMP-9 will induce apoptosis . but my confusion is MMP-2/9 itself play any role in initiating apoptosis?? 

There are no clear evidences yet whether MMP-2/9 themselves initiate apoptosis. However, some work have shown that MMP-2/9 (or other MMPs) are key regulators of the process. The attached references might partly answer your question. A very interesting question indeed. 

Good luck! 

 Thank You all of you.

Hi Hina,

You should be able to distinguish the role of MMPs to apoptosis of cancer cells or normal cells . MMP - 2 and MMP - 9 were produced by cancer cells will not cause apoptosis of cancer cells .

good luck