Peer Review Report For: A guide to selecting high-performing antibodies for MMP7 (UniProt ID: P09237) for use in western blot and immunoprecipitation [version 1; peer review: 1 approved]

Matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7, also known as matrilysin) is a secreted zinc-dependent endopeptidase implicated in extracellular matrix remodelling and fibrotic processes. Elevated MMP7 expression is a hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other interstitial lung diseases, where it has emerged as a candidate biomarker for disease progression. Identifying high-quality research antibodies is therefore essential to enable robust investigation of MMP7 biology and its translational potential. In this study, we systematically evaluated ten commercial antibodies for western blot and immunoprecipitation using a standardized knockout validation approach in human A549 cells, comparing readouts in MMP7 knockout lines with isogenic parental controls. These experiments form part of a larger collaborative initiative to address antibody reproducibility by characterizing commercial antibodies for human proteins and making the results openly available to the community. While antibody use and protocol conditions will vary between laboratories, this report provides a resource to guide selection of the most suitable reagents for studies of MMP7 in health and disease.