中文摘要：

组织型基质金属蛋白酶抑制是一种多功能的蛋白质，除了抑制基质金属蛋白酶活性外，还可通过调节细胞增殖、凋亡，以及血管生成参与恶性肿瘤的发生、侵袭和转移，近年来成为研究的热点。现已证实，组织型基质金属蛋白酶抑制对多种肿瘤发生起着促进和抑制的双向调节作用，这种双向调节作用在皮肤黑素瘤的研究中亦得到证实。进一步阐明，组织型基质金属蛋白酶抑制对恶性黑素瘤发生、侵袭、转移的关键作用，有望为恶性黑素瘤的治疗提供新思路、新靶点和新途径。

英文摘要：

As a kind of multifunctional protein, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases （TIMPs） are well known for their ability to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase （MMP） activity. Besides, they can regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis through MMP-independent pathways. Due to the critical role in tumor initiation, invasion and metastasis, TIMPs have become a hotspot in cancer research. It has been evidenced that TIMPs have both inhibitory and stimulatory effect on tumorigenesis, and the paradoxical role has also been observed in melanoma. Better understanding of the crucial role of TIMPs in malignant melanoma may provide new ideas, tarzets and stratezies for its treatment.