title: Expression pattern of matrix metalloproteinases-13 in a rat model of alcoholic liver fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interstitial collagenase has been considered as an essential enzyme for collagenolysis in liver fibrosis, because type I and III collagens increase predominantly in liver fibrosis. The present study aimed to demonstrate the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases-13 (MMP-13) in the progressive phases of ethanol induced experimental liver fibrosis in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group (24 rats) was given ethanol (44%, 7 g/kg) every day and the control group (10) was given normal saline. Liver samples were harvested from experimental rats at 4, 12 and 24 weeks respectively. The kinetics of MMP-13 mRNA expression was assayed by semi-quantity reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normal rat liver, a faint band for MMP-13 mRNA was observed by RT-PCR (0.24+/-0.41). The gene expression of MMP-13 was increased in the liver of the rats treated with ethanol for 4 weeks (0.62+/-0.54), but it was not considered statistically significant (P>0.05). And the livers from 12-week-treated rats showed a marked mRNA expression (1.65+/-0.47, P<0.01). Once fibrosis became prominent (24 weeks), a faint band of MMP-13 mRNA was observed (0.39+/-0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMP-13 participates in the degradation of newly-formed matrix in the early phase of rat liver fibrosis induced by ethanol, and it was induced in a distinct time frame.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China. yansheng@vip.sina.com
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Ge-Min
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chao-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Guo-Fang
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: You-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shu-Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017364:Collagenases / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017364:Collagenases; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13; C507083:Mmp13 protein, rat