title: [Aortic calcification and matrix metalloproteinases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between arterial calcification and matrix metalloproteinases including MMP-1 and MMP-3.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 human aorta specimens from autopsies were stained with HE to identify calcification. Immunohistochemical method was used to determine the secretion of MMP-1 and MMP-3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 15 aorta specimens, calcification was found in 10 and no calcification in the remaining 5. There was no significant difference in the percentage of MMP-1 positive cells between two groups, with 83.8% +/- 5.2% in calcified specimens vs 84.0% +/- 7.5% in non calcified ones. 9 of the 10 calcified aortas were positive for MMP-3 staining. Serial sections showed that the localization of positivity was in concordance with calcified regions. The 5 normal aortas were MMP-3 negative. The difference between the two groups was significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMP-3 secretion relates closely with arterial calcification. And MMP-3 may participate in calcium minerali-zation in arteries. MMP-1 has no relation with arterial calcification.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geriatric Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D001344:Autopsy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000032:analysis; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1