MMP2 and -9) overexpressed within AAAs is insufficient to arrest AAA growth, since resident smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are poorly elastogenic and cannot overcome elastolysis to reinstate a healthy elastic matrix.
In vitro studies using macrophages isolated from either WT/MT1-MMP-/- chimeric mice, MMP-2-null mice, or MMP-9-null mice demonstrate that MT1-MMP alone plays a dominant role in macrophage-mediated elastolysis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression levels of the major matrix degrading factors matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1, MMP-2, MMP-3 and MMP-9 in CL.