Findings in Extracellular in Myocardial Extracellular Matrix Composition atDeceased Drug Abusers

Overview

It have been reported that chronic drug abuse induces changes in extracellular matrix (ECM)composition of myocardium. Matrix metaloproteinases (MMP) play important role in ECM remodellingand alteration in the ECM of myocardium. They are able to cleave ECM components andmay contribute to progression of heart damage. Remodelling implies an alteration in the ECMand in the spatial orientation of cells and intercellular components. In this report we evaluatedthe extracellular matrix of myocardium of deceased drug abusers and controls. The myocardiumof 5 toxicologically positive cases and 4 control cases were analysed by zymography of MMP,electrophoresis of collagens and histologicaly. Gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and collagenase(MMP-1) activities were increased in drug abusers compare to the controls. In contrast,
chain ofcollagen type I after 160 hours collagen extraction, were not observed in control specimens. Theactivation of MMP proenzymes is one of the critical steps that lead to ECM breakdown. Ourfindings suggest that the myocardial collagen matrix is damaged in drug abusers.

Key words:
Methamphetamin - Opiate - Extracellular Matrix - Matrix Metalloproteinase - Collagen- Drug Abusers