title: The pro and the active form of matrix metalloproteinase-9 is increased in serum of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Pro and active-matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was measured in sera from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Guillain-Barre syndome (GBS), and healthy subjects. Both forms of MMP-9 were elevated in sera of ALS and GBS patients, compared with healthy controls. It has been postulated that elevated MMP-9 reflects damage to peripheral nerve and muscle. This possibility was investigated in sera, and tissue extracts of sciatic nerves and muscle from mice 5 and 12 days after axotomy of the sciatic nerve. Pro-MMP-9 was elevated in sera and extracts of damaged nerve and muscle, suggesting such damage may be followed by elevated pro-MM9-9 in sera. Active MMP-9 was only elevated in the sera. However, in situ activation of MMP-9 is tightly regulated and localised, and probably difficult to demonstrate by ELISA, resulting in a short half-life active MMP-9, implying any active MMP-9 in the serum may have a more immediate origin than injured muscle or nerve, for example circulating blood cells.
authors.affiliation: Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. m.demestre@qmul.ac.uk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Demestre
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parkin-Smith
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petzold
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pullen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D009409:Nerve Crush; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9