title: Matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in aqueous humor of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, exfoliation syndrome, and exfoliation glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in aqueous humor (AH) samples collected from primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), exfoliation syndrome (EXS), and exfoliation glaucoma (EXG) in relation to samples derived from cataract control patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-one AH samples were collected during cataract extraction and trabeculectomy. The expression and molecular forms of MMP-2, -8, -9, -13, and -14 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and -2 (TIMPs) were analyzed by Western immunoblotting. Gelatinase and collagenase activities were studied by zymography and type I collagen degradation assays, respectively. MMP-2 and TIMP-2 concentrations were measured by ELISA assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By Western immunoblotting all the studied MMPs were mainly in their latent form in all diagnostic groups. Zymography demonstrated that MMP-2 represents the major gelatinase in AH. Similarly, type I collagenolytic activity was low and similar in cataract and glaucoma samples. In ELISA measurements the TIMP-2 levels were significantly elevated in glaucoma and EXS samples in comparison to cataract controls (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TIMP-2 is elevated in glaucomatous process over MMP-2, which support and further extend the conjuncture that the ECM accumulation rather than degradation predominates in the pathogenesis of POAG and EXG.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Central Hospital of Helsinki, Finland. mmaatta@mailcity.com
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Määttä
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tervahartiala
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harju
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Airaksinen
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Autio-Harmainen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sorsa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000201:enzymology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases