Description
TIMP1 is an inhibitory molecule that regulates matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and disintegrin-metalloproteinases (ADAMs and ADAMTSs). In regulating MMPs, TIMP1 plays a crucial role in extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, wound healing, and pregnancy.
The dysregulated activity of TIMP1 has been implicated in cancer. In pregnancy, TIMP1 plays a regulatory role in the process of implantation, particularly the cytotrophoblast invasion of the uterine endometrium. Additionally, it plays a role in regulating the transcriptional profile of fetal and placental tissues associated with the early stages of pregnancy. Studies attribute this role to a mechanism involving the chromatin structure at the TIMP1 promoter region, implicating new pharmaceutical possibilities for the therapeutic regulation of TIMP1. Accordingly, TIMP1 can be manipulated in vitro using techniques, like the TIMP1 knock-out. [Wiki]