What are the MMPs inhibitors?

MMP inhibitors include endogenous tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) and pharmacological inhibitors such as doxycycline, zinc chelators, marimastat. Pharmacological inhibitors are utilized for therapeutic and diagnostic use in autoimmune, cancer and cardiovascular disease. An example is doxycycline, a synthetic tetracycline that is FDA approved and acts as a MMP inhibitor; it inhibits tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasion.

TIMPS are unique inhibitors that bind MMPs with a 1:1 stoichiometry. There have been four TIMPs (TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, TIMP-4) that have been identified in vertebrates. The expression of these TIMPs is regulated during tissue remodeling and development; changes of TIMP levels directly affect the level of MMP activity. It is important to note that MMPs inhibitors are crucial for sustaining balance between formation and matrix destruction; an imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs may initiate malignancies.