Specific matrix metalloproteinase expression in focal myositis: an immunopathological study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate immunoexpression of matrix metalloproteinases MMP2, MMP7 and MMP9 in muscle specimens from patients with focal myositis (FM) vs polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis.


METHODS
We studied muscle biopsy samples from seven patients affected by FM; samples from five patients each with PM and dermatomyositis were studied as disease controls.


RESULTS
MMP2 immunoreactivity was present in PM and dermatomyositis, MMP7 only in PM, and MMP9 in PM, dermatomyositis and FM.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm that increased MMP9 immunoreactivity in muscle fibres is a common feature of all inflammatory myopathies and suggest that MMP2 and MMP7 cannot be implicated in the inflammatory events of FM.
Rodolico
C
C
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatry and Anaesthesiology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. crodolico@unime.it
Mazzeo
A
A
Toscano
A
A
Messina
S
S
Aguennouz
M
M
Gaeta
M
M
Messina
C
C
Vita
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9