Medial degeneration of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the wall of abdominal aortas results in smooth muscle cell destruction, a loss of architectural integrity, and @entity1028 ( @entity1028 ) formation. It has been theorized that an imbalance between proteinases and their naturally occurring inhibitors is the cause of these observed histologic abnormalities. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to determine if differences in the @entity5379 , @entity2843 ( @entity2843 ), @entity3479 ( @entity3479 ), and @entity2290 ( @entity2290 ) protein and activity levels existed between infrarenal @entity1028 and normal abdominal aortic tissue specimens. Between November 1995 and January 1997, 10 @entity1 undergoing elective infrarenal @entity1028 repair had a portion of their @entity439 walls snap frozen in liquid @entity1568 and processed for subsequent western blot or zymographic analysis. Tissue specimens from 6 normal abdominal aortas obtained from fresh cadaver specimens were similarly processed and served as controls. Protein levels for @entity1476 , @entity1495 , @entity2843 , @entity2290 , and @entity3479 were analyzed by western blotting. The degree of @entity1476 and @entity1495 gelatinolytic activity was analyzed by zymography. Detection and immunolocalization for @entity1476 , @entity1495 and @entity469 was performed on tissue sections of @entity1028 and normal infrarenal abdominal aortas fixed in 10% @entity406 . @entity1495 and @entity3479 protein levels were increased in AAAs compared to controls by western blotting. However, @entity2290 levels were slightly increased in controls. No differences in @entity2843 protein levels were identified. Similarly, zymography demonstrated increased @entity1476 and @entity1495 gelatinolytic activity in AAAs compared to controls (p < or = 0.05). @entity469 -positive cells (macrophages) in the adventitia and media demonstrated immunoreactivity to @entity1495 . This investigation demonstrated increased @entity1495 proteinase activity and @entity3479 protein levels in the walls of AAAs, as well as inflammatory leukocyte invasion of the adventitia and media compared to controls. These data suggest that leukocyte-derived @entity1495 is associated with aortic wall degeneration and @entity439 formation. Furthermore, activation of @entity1495 may be caused by increased @entity3479 levels in the walls of AAAs.

Matrix metalloproteinase expressions in XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity5379 :: ('4313;4318', 'Gene') :: ['matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2 and -9'] @entity1568 :: ('MESH:D009584', 'Chemical') :: ['nitrogen'] @entity1476 :: ('4313', 'Gene') :: ['MMP-2'] @entity469 :: ('968', 'Gene') :: ['CD68'] @entity406 :: ('MESH:D005557', 'Chemical') :: ['formalin'] @entity2843 :: ('7076', 'Gene') :: ['TIMP-1', 'tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1'] @entity439 :: ('MESH:D000783', 'Disease') :: ['aneurysm'] @entity1495 :: ('4318', 'Gene') :: ['MMP-9'] @entity3479 :: ('5327', 'Gene') :: ['tissue-type plasminogen activator', 'tPA'] @entity1028 :: ('MESH:D017544', 'Disease') :: ['abdominal aortic aneurysm', 'AAA'] @entity2290 :: ('5328', 'Gene') :: ['urokinase-type plasminogen activator', 'uPA']
@entity439 :: (MESH:D000783,Disease) :: ['arteriosclerotic aneurysmal disease']
