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Circulating matrix metalloproteinases and their endogenous inhibitors in patients with erectile dysfunction

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 24, pages 38–43 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) may reflect vascular alterations associated with imbalanced matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities. However, no previous study has compared MMPs levels in ED patients with those found in healthy subjects. We measured the circulating MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels in ED patients, with or without diabetes mellitus (DM), and in healthy controls. We studied 28 healthy men (control group), 35 men with ED (ED group), and 33 men with ED and DM (ED/DM group). MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 plasma levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and zymography. We found no differences in MMP-9 levels (P>0.05) among groups. However, while patients in the ED group had similar TIMP-1 levels compared with those found in the control group, we found higher TIMP-1 levels and lower MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios in the ED/DM group compared with controls (P<0.05). While both groups of patients (ED and ED/DM) had slightly lower MMP-2 levels compared with controls (P<0.05), we found no differences in TIMP-2 levels among the study groups (P>0.05), and no differences in MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratios (P>0.05). We found evidence indicating lack of significant alterations in circulating net MMP-9 and MMP-2 activities in patients with ED, and lower net MMP-9 activity in diabetic patients with ED.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, >SP, Brazil

    J J Muniz, R Lacchini & V A Belo

  2. Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto, >SP, Brazil

    Y T D A Nobre, S Tucci Jr & A C P Martins

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, >SP, Brazil

    J E Tanus-Santos

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  1. J J Muniz
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  2. R Lacchini
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Correspondence to J E Tanus-Santos.

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Muniz, J., Lacchini, R., Belo, V. et al. Circulating matrix metalloproteinases and their endogenous inhibitors in patients with erectile dysfunction. Int J Impot Res 24, 38–43 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2011.44

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