Gel Zymography for the Evaluation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in Aorta and Kidney Tissues

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are endopeptidases containing zinc that play a role in extracellular matrix remodeling processes in cardiovascular or kidney diseases. The levels and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 increase in experimental models of diabetic nephropathy, acute kidney injury (AKI), and renal tubular injury. MMP-2 is also induced in human renal transplants with delayed graft function (DGF) and is correlated with tubular damage in patients with tubular cell necrosis. Moreover, MMP-2 and -9 participate in the degradation of structural components of the extracellular matrix, mainly collagen and elastin, leading to destabilization and dilatation of the aorta in aneurysms. Zymography is a simple, sensitive, quantitative, and widely used approach to assessing both latent and active forms of MMPs in biological materials.