Evaluation of metalloproteinase 2 and 9 levels and their inhibitors in combined dyslipidemia

Purpose: To evaluate the distribution of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and their specific inhibitors in a sample of patients affected by mild dyslipidemia but not yet treated with antihyperlipidemic drugs. Methods: One hundred and sixty-eight Caucasian patients aged >= 18 yr of either sex with combined dyslipidemia and who had never previously taken lipid-lowering medications were evaluated. As a control population, we enrolled 179 Caucasian healthy subjects, aged 18 yr of either sex. We evaluated body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA index), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (Tg), lipoprotein( a) Lp(a), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), homocysteine (Hct), fibrinogen (Fg), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP), adiponectin (ADP), MMP-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2). Results: TC, Tg, and LDL-C were higher (P << 0.05, P << 0.01 and P << 0.05, respectively) in the dyslipidemic group, while HDL-C levels were lower (P << 0.01) compared with the control group. Increases of PAI-1, Hct, Fg, and Hs-CRP (P << 0.01, P << 0.05, P << 0.05, and P << 0.05, respectively) were present in the dyslipidemic group, while ADP level was lower (P << 0.01) in the dyslipidemic patients compared with controls. MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 levels were higher (P << 0.0001) in the dyslipidemic group. Conclusions: Combined hyperlipidemic patients have increased levels of prothrombotic and microinflammatory parameters and higher levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 than control subjects. The prognostic importance of this observation has to be evaluated in adequately designed prospective studies.