title: DNA sequence variations of metalloproteinases: their role in asthma and COPD.
abstract: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are complex genetic diseases that cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Genetic variability interacting with environmental and ethnic factors is presumed to cause tobacco smoke susceptibility and to influence asthma severity. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 33 (ADAM33) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) appear to have important roles in asthma and COPD pathogenesis. ADAM33 and MMP9 genetic alterations could possibly contribute to the establishment and progression of these multifactorial diseases, although their association with the clinical phenotypes has not yet been elucidated. However, the occurrence of these alterations does not always result in clear disease, implying that either they are an epiphenomenon or they are in proximity to the true causative alteration. This review summarises the most recent literature dealing with the genetic variations of metalloproteinases and outlines their potential pathogenetic outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pneumology, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Fotis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sampsonas
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaparianos
authors.forename: Dimosthenis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lykouras
authors.forename: Kiriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karkoulias
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spiropoulos
mesh_terms: D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D045726:Metalloproteases; D051722:ADAM Proteins; C450441:ADAM33 protein, human