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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

A Novel Stretching Platform for Applications in Cell and Tissue Mechanobiology
Published on: June 3, 2014
MMP-2 is not altered by stretching in skeletal muscle
S M Peviani1, A R S Gomes, H S Selistre de Araujo
1Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, Washington Luis, km 235, São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil. sabrinapeviani@gmail.com
Abstract:
Considering that short bouts of stretching, as recommended in rehabilitation and sports activities, induce skeletal muscle and connective tissue adaptation, the hypothesis of this study was that MMP-2 activity is regulated by muscle stretch. The level of MMP-2 activity was, thereby, assessed after stretching in rat soleus muscle. Animals received a single session of stretching (10 stretches lasting 1 min each with 30 s of rest in between) and were evaluated immediately and after 8, 24, 48, 72 and 168 h. To evaluate the effect of repetitive sessions of stretching, three groups of animals were evaluated - one group after 2 sessions, another after 3, and a third after 7. MMP-2 activity was evaluated by zymography and MMP-2 mRNA was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. None of the groups presented MMP-9 activity. MMP-2 activity and mRNA expression did not change after either single or repetitive sessions of stretching. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that MMP-2 is not involved in the muscle stretch-induced remodeling.
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