title: Correlations between MMP-2/MMP-9 promoter polymorphisms and ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ischemic stroke (IS) results from interrupted blood flow to the brain and can be caused by formation of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels. Previous studies have suggested a contribution of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) to plaque formation and stroke risk. Here, we explored associations between two MMPs, MMP-2 and MMP-9, and IS.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 396 IS patients and 400 control individuals involved in this study. The MMP-2 -1306C/T and -735C/T polymorphisms and MMP-9 -1562C/T polymorphism were analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) from patient blood samples, and the relationships to IS were analyzed by logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Genotype and allele frequencies of MMP-2 -1306C/T did not differ statistically (P>0.05), but those of MMP-2 -735C/T and MMP-9 1562C/T did differ between IS and control samples (P<0.05). While MMP-2 -1306C/T polymorphism was not associated with increased risk of IS, MMP-2 -735C allele was associated with a 1.5-fold increase in IS incidence (OR=1.516, 95% CI=1.185-1.940, P=0.001), and MMP-9 -1562T allele was associated with a 1.5-fold increase in IS incidence (OR=1.543, 95% CI=1.144-2.080, P=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMP-2 -735C and MMP-9 -1562T may act as IS susceptibility alleles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, The Fourth Peoples Hospital in Shaanxi Province Xi'an 710043, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third Hospital of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Baoji 721004, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third Hospital of Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Baoji 721004, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Chun
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Tang
keywords: MMP-2; MMP-9; gene polymorphism; ischemic stroke