Background
Metalloproteinase with a rather broad substrate specificity that can degrade fibronectin, laminin, gelatins of type I, III, IV, and V; collagens III, IV, X, and IX, and cartilage proteoglycans. Activates different molecules including growth factors, plasminogen or other matrix metalloproteinases such as MMP9. Once released into the extracellular matrix (ECM), the inactive pro-enzyme is activated by the plasmin cascade signaling pathway. Acts also intracellularly. For example, in dopaminergic neurons, gets activated by the serine protease HTRA2 upon stress and plays a pivotal role in DA neuronal degeneration by mediating microglial activation and alpha-synuclein/SNCA cleavage (PubMed:17116747).