Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a proinflammatory cytokine, and its increased level correlates with the severity of periodontitis. However, its role in the pathogenesis of tooth periapical lesions is controversial and has not been completely clarified. The present study aimed to investigate whether IL-12 affects the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloprotei...

OBJECTIVE Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are expressed in joint tissues of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). The objective of this study was to define the steady state levels of seven different MMPs and two tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) as well as the potential metalloproteinase activity in the synovial fluid (SF) to provide more insight into t...

Neutrophil elastase is the most significant predictor of bronchiectasis in early-life cystic fibrosis; however, the causal link between neutrophil elastase and airway damage is not well understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a crucial role in extracellular matrix modelling and are activated by neutrophil elastase. The aim of this study was to assess if MMP activation positively corre...

Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, their integrin receptors, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the ECM-degrading enzymes, are believed to be involved in various biological processes, including embryogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the role of membrane type MMP, MT-1-MMP, an activator pro-MMP-2, in metanephric development. Also, its relationship with MMP-2 and its inhibitor,...

The aim of this study was to assess the expression of several metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in exudative pleural effusions, and their relationship with inflammatory and fibrinolytic mediators in parapneumonic effusions. The study included 51 parapneumonic effusions (30 empyema or complicated parapneumonic, 21 noncomplicated parapneumonic), 28 tube...

Joint destruction in arthritis is in part due to the induction of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression and their inhibitors, especially MMP-13 and -3, which directly degrade the cartilage matrix. Although IL-1β is considered as the main catabolic factor involved in MMP-13 and -3 expression, the role of PGE(2) remains controversial. The goal of this study was to determine the role of PGE(2)...

Backgrounds: Ultraviolet radiation (UV) causes the process of cellular senescence mediated by oxidative stress and DNA damage, resulting in skin photoaging. Apocynin, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor can chemically induce Type 17 collagen (COL17) protein synthesis, which is crucial preventing aging. Our unpublished data showed that klotho mutant mice, a premature aging model, displayed increased sene...

PURPOSE To study tear trypsin inhibitory capacity (T-TIC), serum trypsin inhibitory capacity (S-TIC) and their relationship to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-1 and -9 in patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC). METHODS In the first phase of the study, inactivation of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) by MMP-1 and -9 was investigated in vitro. Subsequently, tear samples were collected after c...