The proMMP-2 activation rate in patients with chronic viral liver disease.
BACKGROUND
We previously showed that serum promatrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2) concentrations were increased in cirrhotic patients, reflecting the increase in liver proMMP-2 concentrations. We examined whether the increased proMMP-2 concentration reflects the biological matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) activity.


METHODS
We measured serum concentrations of active MMP-2 and proMMP-2, and calculated the active MMP-2/proMMP-2 ratio as an index of the proMMP-2 activation rate in chronic viral liver disease.


RESULTS
The serum active MMP-2 concentrations were not altered in chronic liver disease, although the serum proMMP-2 concentration was markedly increased in cirrhotic patients. The active MMP-2/proMMP-2 ratio decreased with the grade of liver fibrosis, and was negatively correlated with serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-2.


CONCLUSIONS
The proMMP-2 activation rate may be inhibited by the increased TIMP-2 in liver cirrhosis (LC), resulting in the accumulation of basement membrane collagens.
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago 683-8504, Japan. murawaki@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Yoshikazu
Y
Murawaki
Yujiro
Y
Ikuta
Masahiko
M
Koda
Kinya
K
Okamoto
Kenichi
K
Mimura
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D018093:Gelatinases; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C069860:progelatinase; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2