How could analyzing the activity of two matrix metalloproteinases unveil the cause of sudden cardiac death.
Sudden cardiac death is natural, unexpected death, related to cardiovascular disease. Its postmortem elucidation is significant, as the family of the deceased aspires to prevent other sudden deaths. Irrespective of the proper etiological entity, the myocardial collagen matrix remodels, associated with the progression of cardiovascular diseases. It has become evident that many mediators such as humoral factors, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 among them, are involved in the remodeling process. Cardiac remodeling is the balance of regenerative and eliminatory processes that include enzymes involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Enzymes capable of degrading native fibrillar collagen are interstitial collagenases, specifically matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-1 and MMP-8. Here, we suggest a technique of visualizing turnover of collagen in cardiac tissue.
Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia ivan.sosa@medri.uniri.hr.
Ivan
I
Sosa
Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia.
Aron
A
Grubesic
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000473:pathology*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism
D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D003094:Collagen; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1
activity of collagenases; collagen; matrix metalloproteinases; sudden cardiac death