Secreted active proteases, from families of enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases), participate in diverse pathological processes. To simultaneously measure multiple specific protease activities, a series of parallel enzyme reactions combined with a series of inhibitor analyses for proteolytic activity matrix analysis (PrAMA) are essent...

Chlamydia pneumoniae, an intracellular Gram-negative respiratory bacterium, and macrophages are present in inflammatory tissue sites such as atherosclerotic lesions, where abnormal degradation of the extracellular matrix takes place. To evaluate the potential of C pneumoniae for participation in matrix destruction, we studied the effect of this bacterium on the production of 3 matrix-degrading ...

Degeneration of the intervertebral disc has been implicated in chronic low back pain. Type II collagen and proteoglycan (predominantly aggrecan) content is crucial to proper disc function, particularly in the nucleus pulposus. In degeneration, synthesis of matrix molecules changes, leading to an increase in the synthesis of collagens type I and III and a decreased production of aggrecan. Linked...

PURPOSE The regulation of the trabecular meshwork's extracellular matrix is poorly understood and may involve a family of secreted proteinases, the matrix metalloproteinases. Because the trabecular extracellular matrix has been hypothesized to affect intraocular pressure, an evaluation was made of the ability of two cellular modulators to change the levels of matrix metalloproteinases in the me...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Reperfusion disrupts cerebral capillaries, causing cerebral edema and hemorrhage. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induces the matrix-degrading metalloproteinases, but their role in capillary injury after reperfusion is unknown. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors to metalloproteinases (TIMPs) modulate capillary permeability. Therefore, we measur...