The inhibitory effect of proanthocyanidin on soluble and collagen-bound proteases

This study evaluated the inhibitory effect of proanthocyanidin (PA), a natural collagen cross-linker, on soluble and matrix-bound proteases, which are responsible for progressive degradation of exposed collagen fibrils within the hybrid layer and resin-dentine bond failure over time.

The inhibitory effects of PA (1%, 2%, 3%, 4.5% and 6%) on soluble recombinant matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, -8 and -9) and cysteine cathepsins (cathepsin B and K) were evaluated using MMP and cysteine cathepsins fluorometric assay kits. Chlorhexidine (CHX) was used as an inhibitor control. The effect of PA on endogenous matrix-bound proteases was examined by determining the change in dry mass of demineralized dentine beams and solubilized collagen peptides over 30 days. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison tests were used to analyze the effect of PA and proteases on the percentage inhibition of soluble proteases (α=0.05). Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA and Dunn's multiple comparison tests were used to analyse the effect of PA on loss of dry mass and hydroxyproline content over time (α=0.05).

Proanthocyanidin inactivated more than 90% of soluble recombinant MMP-2, -8 and -9 and around 75-90% of cysteine cathepsin B and K, which was significantly higher than CHX (P<0.05). The inhibition of endogenous proteases by PA increased in a dose-dependent manner. The loss of dry mass and hydroxyproline release in the medium over time was the lowest in dentine beams pretreated with PA

Proanthocyanidin exhibited both dentine MMP and cysteine cathepsins inhibition, which was higher than chlorhexidine.