Title:Genetic Variability of Matrix Metalloproteinase Genes in Cardiovascular Disease
VOLUME: 12 ISSUE: 10
Author(s):Nikolaos Papageorgiou, Dimitris Tousoulis, George Hatzis, Alexandros Briasoulis, Emmanuel Androulakis, Anastasios Giolis, Gerasimos Siasos, George Latsios, Georgia Vogiatzi, Costas Tentolouris and Christodoulos Stefanadis
Affiliation:1st Cardiology Department, Hippokration Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Keywords:Matrix metalloproteinases, gene polymorphisms, atherosclerosis, coronary plaque, coronary artery disease, fibrous cap, acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction risk, matrix metalloproteinases, genetic polymorphisms, cardiovascular disease, occlusive thrombus, biologic pathway, risk factors
Abstract:It is well established that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to the degradation of the extracellular
matrix of coronary plaque and contribute to the thinning of the fibrous cap. As a result, the atheromatous plaque becomes
unstable and prone to rupture with consequent clinical manifestations including acute coronary syndromes. Moreover, genetic
polymorphisms of MMPs have been found to be associated with the concentration of circulating MMPs, and over
the past decade, considerable efforts have been devoted to explore the relationships between MMPs polymorphisms and
myocardial infarction risk among various populations. However, existing studies have yielded inconsistent results. Some
observations have suggested that genetic variation that affects the expression of MMPs may contribute to the occurrence
of myocardial infarction, whereas others reported no support for an association of MMPs polymorphisms with myocardial
infarction susceptibility. Furthermore, the interpretation of these studies has been complicated by the use of different
populations or different control sources. Therefore, further studies are required to evaluate the role of matrix metalloproteinases
and especially the associated genetic polymorphisms in cardiovascular disease.
