Novel methods to determine
matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity are described. In a typical embodiment of the invention, the
biological fluid sample is from a patient, and the methods of the invention are useful to assess
disease severity or progression, diagnose a particular
disease, or develop a profile of MMP activity for inflammatory diseases such as
arthritis, or
cancer. A novel method of the invention involves the use of particular
amino acid sequences in substrates that include but are not limited to
fluorescence, colorimetric, radiometric and unlabeled substrates. A second method of the invention use neo-
epitope antibodies that bind to the cleavage sites generated by
collagenase 3
digestion of
type IV collagen or biglycan or the
peptide substrates disclosed. There is also provided a diagnostic kit for use in determining the amounts of MMP activities in biological samples comprising (a) one or more substrates with different specificities against the MMPs, (b) one or more reagents capable of inhibiting non-
metalloproteinase activities, (c) one or more reagents capable of specifically inhibiting
metalloproteinase activities, (d) one or more activators of
metalloproteinase activities, (e) reagents capable of altering the selectivity ratios for the substrates such as
gelatin or
type II collagen, and (f)
collagenase 3, stromelysin 1,
gelatinase A,
gelatinase B and / or
collagenase 1 as calibration standards.