Role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and MMP inhibitors on intracranial aneurysms: a review article

Cerebrovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the world, and about one-fourth of cerebrovas-cular deaths are due to ruptured cerebral aneurysms (CA). Hence it is important to find a way to reduce aneu-rysm formation and its subsequent morbidity and mortality. Proteolytic activity capable of lysing gelatin has been shown to be increased in aneurysm tissue and expression of plasmin, membrane-type matrix metallopro-teinase-1(MT1-MMP), and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in aneurysmal wall is more than what we ob-serve in normal cerebral arteries. MMP inhibitors such as doxycycline and statins may prohibit aneurysm for-mation and growth. MMPs are important in tissue remodeling associated with various physiological and patho-logical processes such as morphogenesis, angiogenesis, apoptosis and tissue repair. In this article we review the role of MMPs and MMP inhibitors in formation of aneurysm.