title: Circulating matrix metalloproteinase 3 due to myocardial ischemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Experimental data suggest that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as MMP-3 have a central role in the remodeling period after a myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of this study was to use an experimental small-animal model to investigate the fluctuation in MMP-3 levels occurring in vivo after an acute MI.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 13 New Zealand white rabbits weighing between 3 and 4 kg. After anesthetizing the animals, we performed a tracheotomy and induced an acute MI in 10 of the animals by occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery for 45 minutes. The remaining 3 rabbits constituted the control group. Three hours after reperfusion, blood samples were taken for biomedical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hours after the artificially induced acute MI, serum MMP-3 levels were decreased by almost 50%. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations were increased greatly (90-fold) after MI, further validating the efficiency of our experimental in vivo model of acute MI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining the data, we demonstrated that acute MI caused an early reduction in MMP-3 levels. The range of MMP-3 reduction is limited compared with other factors predicting MI, such as cTnI, which increases its usefulness. We demonstrated, however, that plasma fluctuation in MMP-3 levels could be used as a supplementary independent predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease. This acute MI model used in our controlled setting proved to be a reliable and safe method for conducting in vivo studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, Bouboulinas 34, Ioannina. ssiminel@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siminelakis
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotsanti
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kolaitis
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niokou
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vlachou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dimakopoulos
authors.forename: Chrysanthy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood*; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3