Abnormal Circulating Levels of Metalloproteinase and Their Inhibitor in Hypertensive Patients

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the plasmatic levels matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs): MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and their inhibitors (TIMPs): TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in hypertensive patients and healthy subjects. METHODS: The study involved 60 hypertensive patients and 61 adult healthy controls. Pro-MMP-9 and pro-MMP-2 activity was determined by the gelatin zymography method and MMP-3, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 levels were determined by ELISA method. RESULTS: The mean plasma activity of pro-MMP-9 in the hypertensive group and the control group were significantly different (153.33 ± 129.33 vs. 90.38 ± 97.49 x 10(3) densitometric units/μL; p < 0.01). MMP-3 plasmatic level was significantly higher in hypertensive subjects than healthy subjects (20.24 ± 8.63 vs. 16.41 ± 6.8 ng/mL; p < 0.05), whereas the plasma concentration of TIMP-1 in the hypertensive group was lower than the control group 88.96 ± 26.9 vs. 93.96 ± 27.28 ng/mL. The MMP-3/ TIMP-1 and the MMP-3/TMP-2 ratios were higher in hypertensive subjects than healthy subjects. Also, we have found a significant positive correlation between systolic blood pressure and pro-MMP-9 (r = 0.311, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified the existence of abnormalities in plasma markers for extracellular matrix metabolism in hypertensive patients.