Role of matrix metalloproteinase, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha single nucleotide gene polymorphisms in inflammatory bowel disease.

Aim: To study the (functional) relevance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-1, -2, -3, -9, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1, -2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), that may enhance susceptibility and/or disease severity.

Methods: Genomic DNA from 134 Crohn' s disease (CD), 111 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 248 control subjects was isolated from resected intestinal tissue or blood. Allelic composition at SNP loci was determined by PCR-RFLP or tetra primer ARMS PCR.

Infliximab treatment influences the serological expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 in Crohn's disease.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are actively involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). We assessed the effect of the anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) monoclonal antibody infliximab on the in vitro and in vivo expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in CD.

Methods: Infliximab-treated fistulizing (n = 10) or active disease (n = 7) CD patients, from an in-house study, and fistulizing CD patients (n = 42) and active CD patients (n = 24) from 2 placebo controlled studies were evaluated for serum MMP levels and clinical response.