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The Extracellular Matrix in Physiopathology

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2025 | Viewed by 1615

Special Issue Editor

TRePCa—Therapeutic Resistance in Prostate Cancer, Université Paris-Est Créteil, F-94010 Creteil, France
Interests: matrix biology; tumor microenvironment; matric metalloproteinases; extracellular vesicles; tissue remodeling; cell interactions; EMMPRIN
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As you well know, the extracellular matrix (ECM) represents a complex network of numerous multidomain macromolecules and cells organized in specific manners to form structurally stable structures, not only contributing to the mechanical properties of tissues but also representing an incredible reservoir of growth factors, bioactive molecules, enzymes, and extracellular vesicles. The ECM is of vital importance, extremely dynamic, thus controlling innumerable characteristics of cells, and numerous fundamental behaviors, such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, adhesion, or migration.

In this Special Issue, original research and review articles on basic science, preclinical, and clinical findings are warmly welcome to contribute to our understanding of ECM and its impacts on physiopathology.

Dr. Eric Huet
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • extracellular matrix
  • glycosaminoglycans
  • matrix metalloproteinases
  • tissue remodeling
  • cell interactions
  • physiopathology

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 2671 KiB  
Article
Matrix Metalloproteinases, Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases, and Their Ratios in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Healthy Controls
by Alexandra E. Butler, Manjula Nandakumar, Thozhukat Sathyapalan, Edwina Brennan and Stephen L. Atkin
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010321 - 1 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1362
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are M2 macrophage markers that are modulated by inflammation. A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMS) and those with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) regulate the shedding of membrane-bound proteins, growth factors, cytokines, ligands, and receptors; MMPs, ADAMS, and ADAMTS may be regulated by [...] Read more.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are M2 macrophage markers that are modulated by inflammation. A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMS) and those with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) regulate the shedding of membrane-bound proteins, growth factors, cytokines, ligands, and receptors; MMPs, ADAMS, and ADAMTS may be regulated by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). This study aimed to determine whether these interacting proteins were dysregulated in PCOS. A Somascan proteomic analysis of 12 MMPs, three of their inhibitors (TIMP-1, 2, 3), two ADAMS (9, 12), five ADAMTS (1, 4, 5, 13, 15), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was undertaken in a well-validated PCOS database of 143 women with PCOS and 97 controls. Women with PCOS had significantly higher levels of MMP-9 and lower levels of MMP-2, MMP-14, TIMP-2, IGFBP-1, and IGF-1 compared to the controls (p < 0.0001, p < 0.005, p < 0.04, p < 0.05, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.0001, respectively). No differences were observed for any other MMPs. The ADAMS or ADAMTS levels did not differ between groups. Body mass index (BMI) was correlated with MMP-9 (p < 0.01), MMP-1 (p < 0.05), MMP-2 (p < 0.05), MMP-10 (p < 0.005), MMP-12 (p < 0.005), ADAM-9 (p < 0.05), and IGFBP-1 (p < 0.0001), but only MMP-9 still differed after accounting for BMI. MMP-9/TIMP-1, MMP-9/TIMP-2, and MMP-9/TIMP-3 ratios were higher in the PCOS group (p < 0.01), whilst MMP-17/TIMP-1 and MMP-17/TIMP-2 were lower (p = 0.01). MMP-2/TIMP ratios showed no difference between groups. TIMP-2 was positively correlated with CRP (p < 0.01). MMP changes in PCOS are largely driven by BMI, though increased MMP-9 is BMI-independent, suggesting that any deleterious effects of MMP-9 would be potentially exacerbated by a concomitantly increased BMI. The significant increases in the MMP-9/TIMP ratios suggests MMP-9 overactivity in PCOS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Extracellular Matrix in Physiopathology)
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