Volume 51: 323-334, 2002

 

MINIREVIEW


Possible Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Reconstruction of Peripheral Pulmonary Arteries Induced by Hypoxia


J. NOVOTNÁ1,3, J. HERGET2,3

1Department of Biochemistry and 2Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 3Center for Experimental Cardiovascular Research, Prague, Czech Republic


Received November 7, 2001
Accepted January 16, 2002


Summary
Exposure to chronic hypoxia results in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension characterized by structural remodeling of peripheral pulmonary vasculature. An important part of this remodeling is an increase of collagen turnover and deposition of newly formed collagen fibrils in the vascular walls. The activity of collagenolytic metalloproteinases in the lung tissue is notably increased in the first days of exposure to hypoxia. The increased collagenolytic activity results in the appearance of collagen cleavages, which may be implied in the triggering of mesenchymal proliferation in peripheral pulmonary arteries. We hypothesize that radical injury to pulmonary vascular walls is involved in collagenolytic metalloproteinase activation.


Key words
Chronic hypoxia · Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension · Vascular remodeling · Collagen · Metalloproteinases


Reprint requests
Dr. Jan Herget, Dept. Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Plzeňská 221, 150 00 Prague 5. E-mail:
Jan.Herget@lfmotol.cuni.cz


PHYSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
© 2002 by the Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Sciences

ISSN 0862 - 8408

Issue 4