Assessment of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-8, MMP-9, and their inhibitors, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 in obese children and adolescents

• Published in: Clinical biochemistry Vol. 42; no. 10; pp. 984 - 990
• Main Authors: Belo, Vanessa A., Souza-Costa, Debora C., Lana, Carla M., Caputo, Fabio L.D., Marcaccini, Andrea M., Gerlach, Raquel F., Bastos, Marcus G., Tanus-Santos, Jose E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Child; Children; Demography; Female; Humans; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 - blood; Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 - blood; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - blood; Matrix Metalloproteinases - blood; Metalloproteinases; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - enzymology; Protein Precursors - blood; Sex Characteristics; TIMPs; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 - blood; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 - blood; Obesity; TIMPs; Children; Adolescents; Metalloproteinases
• ISSN: 0009-9120; 1873-2933
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2009.03.025

To compare the circulating levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, pro-MMP-2, pro-MMP-9, and total MMP-9, their endogenous inhibitors, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2, and the MMP-8/TIMP-1, MMP-9/TIMP-1, and MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratios in normotensive obese children and adolescents with those found in non obese children and adolescents. We studied 40 obese and 40 non obese (controls) children and adolescents in this cross-sectional study. MMP and TIMP concentrations were measured in plasma samples by gelatin zymography and ELISA. Obese children and adolescents had higher circulating MMP-8 concentrations, lower plasma TIMP-1 concentrations, and higher MMP-8/TIMP-1 ratios than non obese controls ( P < 0.05). We found no differences in pro-MMP-9 or total MMP-9 levels, or in MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios between groups ( P > 0.05). While we found no significant differences in pro-MMP-2 levels ( P > 0.05) obese subjects had higher TIMP-2 concentrations and lower pro-MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratios ( P < 0.05) than non obese controls. In conclusion, we found evidence indicating higher net MMP-8 (but not MMP-9 and MMP-2) activity in childhood obesity. The increased MMP-8 levels found in obese children suggest a possibly relevant pathophysiological mechanism that may be involved in the increase of cardiovascular risk associated with childhood obesity.