| First Author | McMillan SJ | Year | 2004 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 172 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 2586-94 |
| PubMed ID | 14764732 | Mgi Jnum | J:88065 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3029082 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.172.4.2586 |
| Citation | McMillan SJ, et al. (2004) Matrix metalloproteinase-9 deficiency results in enhanced allergen-induced airway inflammation. J Immunol 172(4):2586-94 |
| abstractText | Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of endopeptidases that proteolytically degrade extracellular matrix. Many different cells produce MMP-9, and levels have been shown to be up-regulated in patients with allergic asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo role of MMP-9 during allergen-induced airway inflammation. Acute allergic pulmonary eosinophilia was established in MMP-9 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) control mice by sensitization and challenge with OVA. Cell recruitment was significantly increased in both bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung tissue compartments in MMP-9 KO mice compared with WT mice. This heightened cell recruitment was primarily due to increased eosinophils and Th2 cells in the BAL and lung tissue of MMP-9 KO mice in comparison with WT controls. Moreover, levels of the Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13, and the chemokines eotaxin/CCL11 and macrophage-derived chemokine/CCL22 were substantially increased in MMP-9 KO mice compared with WT after OVA challenge. Resolution of eosinophilia was similar between MMP-9 KO and WT mice, but Th2 cells persisted in BAL and lungs of MMP-9 KO mice for longer than in WT mice. Our results indicate that MMP-9 is critically involved in the recruitment of eosinophils and Th2 cells to the lung following allergen challenge, and suggest that MMP-9 plays a role in the development of Th2 responses to allergen. |
