Potential role for matrix metalloproteinase-3 in gastric ulcer healing.
OBJECTIVE
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are endopeptidases which perform important functions in extracellular matrix remodeling, cell proliferation, and inflammatory processes. Here, we compared MMP-3 levels with those of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and several inflammatory cytokines in gastric ulcer (GU) patients.


METHODS
This study enrolled 50 patients with GU and 6 with functional dyspepsia (FD). Samples of gastric mucosa from the antrum and the ulcer site were harvested from GU patients and of antral mucosa alone from FD patients during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Mucosal biopsy tissues were cultured for 24 h, and the culture supernatant was measured for levels of MMP-3, TIMP-1, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8.


RESULTS
All GU patients were positive for Helicobacter pylori, while all FD patients were negative. Antral levels of TIMP-1, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 were significantly higher in GU than FD patients. Further, MMP-3 levels were significantly higher in GU patients at the ulcer site than in the antrum, and had a significantly positive correlation with TIMP-1, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8.


CONCLUSIONS
MMP-3 levels were significantly higher at the ulcer site than in the antrum, suggesting that MMP-3 may perform an important function in gastric ulcer healing.
Tomita
Makoto
M
Department of Gastroenterology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan.
Ando
Takafumi
T
Minami
Masaaki
M
Watanabe
Osamu
O
Ishiguro
Kazuhiro
K
Hasegawa
Motofusa
M
Miyake
Nobuyuki
N
Kondo
Shinya
S
Kato
Tsuyoshi
T
Miyahara
Ryoji
R
Ohmiya
Naoki
N
Niwa
Yasumasa
Y
Goto
Hidemi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000276:immunology
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3