The Effect of Doxycycline on Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression and Activity in the Abdominal Aneurysm
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2005-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is considered to play a central role in abdominal
aortic aneurysm (AAA) initiation. Doxycycline has direct MMP-9 inhibiting properties in
vitro, and it effectively suppresses AAA development in rodents. Observed inhibition of AAA
progression, and contradictory findings in human studies evaluating the effect of doxycycline
therapy on aortic wall MMP-9 suggest that the effects of doxycycline extend beyond MMP-9
inhibition, and that the effect may be dose dependent.