Matrix metalloproteinases contribute to insulin insufficiency in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

To assess the molecular changes associated with pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction occurring during the onset of type 2 diabetes, we profiled pancreatic islet mRNAs from diabetic male and high-fat-fed female Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats and their nondiabetic lean counterparts on custom islet-specific oligonucleotide arrays. The most prominent changes in both the male and female models of type 2 diabetes were increases in the mRNAs encoding proteases and extracellular matrix components that are associated with tissue remodeling and fibrosis. The mRNAs for metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -12, and -14 were sharply increased with the onset of islet dysfunction and diabetes.