ABSTRACT
ROOSMARIJN E. VANDENBROUCKE, ELINE DEJONCKHEERE, FILIP VAN HAUWERMEIREN, SOFIE LODENS, RIET DE RYCKE, ELIEN VAN WONTERGHEM, AN STAES, KRIS GEVAERT, CARLOS LÓPEZ-OTIN, AND CLAUDE LIBERT
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important mediators during the process of inflammation and are consequently involved in several pathological processes, such as cancer (Decock et al, 2011; Overall & LopezOtin, 2002), sepsis (Vandenbroucke et al, 2011a, 2012; Vanlaere & Libert, 2009), lung diseases (Vandenbroucke et al, 2011b), ischaemia/reperfusion (Dejonckheere et al, 2011) and arthritis (Burrage et al, 2006). They constitute a group of structurally and functionally related zinc-dependent endopeptidases responsible for cleaving and rebuilding connective tissue com-
ponents such as collagen, elastin, gelatin and casein (Zitka et al, 2010). Moreover, several extracellular and intracellular non-matrix substrates of MMPs have been identified, including chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, junction proteins, molecular chaperones and cytoskeletal proteins (Cauwe & Opdenakker, 2010; Cauwe et al, 2007).
