Objective
Substantial evidence implicates interstitial collagenases of the MMP family in plaque rupture and fatal thrombosis. Understanding the compensatory mechanisms that may influence the expression of these enzymes and their functions therefore have important clinical implications. This study assessed in mice the unknown relative impact of the two principal collagenases on collagen content and other plaque characteristics.
Approach and Results
apoE−/− mice, MMP-13−/− apoE−/−, MMP-8−/− apoE−/− double knockout (DKO) mice, and MMP-13−/− MMP-8−/− apoE−/− triple knockout (TKO) mice consumed a high-cholesterol diet for 10 and 24 weeks. Both DKO and TKO mice showed comparable atherosclerotic lesion formation compared to apoE−/− controls. Analysis of aortic root sections indicated that lesions of MMP-8/MMP-13-deficient and MMP-13-deficient mice accumulate more fibrillar collagen than apoE−/− controls and MMP-8−/− apoE−/− DKO. We further tested the relative impact of MMPs on plaque collagenolysis using in situ zymography. MMP-13 deletion alone abrogated collagenolytic activity in lesions, indicating a predominant role for MMP-13 in this process. MMP-13 and MMP-13/MMP-8 deficiency did not alter macrophage content, but associated with reduced accumulation of smooth-muscle cells.
Conclusions
These results show that among MMP interstitial collagenases in mice, MMP-13 prevails over MMP-8 in collagen degradation in atheromata. These findings provide a rationale for the identification and selective targeting a predominant collagenase for modulating key aspects of plaque structure considered critical in clinical complications, although they do not translate directly to human lesions, which also contain MMP-1.