Introduction: Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is accompanied by neutrophil infiltration and degradation of extracellular matrix. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) play an important role in the turnover of extracellular matrix components. We assessed the changes in level and composition of serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 in relation with I/R injury after human OLT.
Methods: Thirty-three patients were separated into two groups according to their peak level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) after OLT (AST < 1500 IU/L: n = 22; AST > 1500 IU/L: n = 11). Serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured before transplantation as well as 2 days and 1 week after OLT using ELISA (MMP protein) and BIA (enzymatic activity of MMP).
Results: MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein concentrations were comparable before and 2 days after OLT, whereas at 1 week MMP-2 decreased and MMP-9 increased significantly. However, there were no significant differences between patients with high or low peak AST at all time points. Also, the composition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 did not differ over time between the groups of patients.
Conclusion: Serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 do not relate to the late phase of hepatic I/R injury after human OLT.