Matrix metalloproteinase 2 gene knockout has no effect on acute brain injury after focal ischemia.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may contribute to tissue damage after cerebral ischemia. In this study, wildtype and MMP-2 knockout mice were subjected to permanent and transient (2 h) occlusions of the middle cerebral artery. Gelatin zymography showed that MMP-9 levels were increased in all brains after ischemia. MMP-2 levels did not show a significant increase in wildtype mice, and were not detectable in knockout mice. Laser doppler flowmetry demonstrated equivalent ischemic reductions in perfusion in wildtype and knockout mice. In both permanent and transient occlusion paradigms, there were no statistically significant differences between wildtype and knockout mice in terms of 24 h ischemic lesion volumes. These data suggest that MMP-2 does not contribute to acute tissue damage in this model of focal ischemia.
Asahi
M
M
Neuroprotection Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, MGH East 149-2322 Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
Sumii
T
T
Fini
M E
ME
Itohara
S
S
Lo
E H
EH
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9