Discoidin domain receptor 2 mediates collagen-induced activation of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase in human fibroblasts

Membrane-Type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a membrane-bound MMP that is highly expressed in cells with invading capacity including fibroblasts and invasive cancer cell. A potential physiological stimulus for MT1-MMP expression is fibrillar collagen, and it has been shown that it upregulates both MT1-MMP gene and functions in various cell types. However, the mechanisms of collagen-mediated MT1-MMP activation is not clearly understood. In this study we identified discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) as a crucial receptor that mediates this process in human fibroblasts. Knocking down DDR2, but not β1 integrin subunit, a common subunit for all collagen-binding integrins, inhibited collagen-induced activation of proMMP-2 and upregulation of MT1-MMP at the gene and protein level. Interestingly DDR2 knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of DDR2 also inhibited MT1-MMP-dependent cellular degradation of collagen film, suggesting that cell surface collagen degradation by MT1-MMP involves DDR2-mediated collagen signalling. This DDR2-mediated mechanism is only present in non-transformed mesenchymal cells, as collagen-induced MT1-MMP activation in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells and MT1-MMP function in MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells were not affected by DDR kinase inhibition. DDR2 activation was found to be noticeably more effective when cells were stimulated by collagen without non-helical telopeptides region compared to intact collagen fibrils. Those data suggest that DDR2 is a microenvironmental sensor that regulates fibroblasts migration in collagen-rich environment