Discussion
In this study, we showed the post-stroke expression profile of various MMPs in mouse brain after focal cerebral ischaemia and reperfusion. We noticed that the induction or inhibition of MMPs in mice after ischaemic stroke was different to the expression pattern that we recently reported in rats.10 While comparing the expression pattern of MMPs in mice versus rats, we here discuss only the increasing or decreasing trend but not the degree of increase or decrease, as the induction time of ischaemia (1 hour in mice vs 2 hours in rats) in these rodent models is different. MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-12 were upregulated (>10-fold vs sham) and none of the MMPs tested were downregulated in rats.10 In contrast to rats, in this study, MMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-9 and MMP-12 were upregulated (>10-fold vs sham), whereas MMP-1a, MMP-10, MMP-15, MMP-16, MMP-17 and MMP-21 were downregulated (>10-fold vs sham) in mice. MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10 and MMP-13 proteins were upregulated in the ischaemic brain tissues of deceased patients who had an ischaemic stroke within the previous 4 days.8 The degree of severity of ischaemia and the presence or absence of reperfusion could be the possible reasons for the observed differences in the expression of MMPs in humans and rodent species.
Despite the differences in the expression pattern of various MMPs in mice versus rats, MMP-9 was upregulated in the ischaemic brain of both these rodent species at 1-day reperfusion. Consistent with our findings, in a recent review, authors have listed the studies that showed the induction of MMP-9 in these animal models and suggested the inhibition of MMP-9 (either by chemical inhibitors, MMP-9 neutralising antibodies or MMP-9 specific siRNAs/shRNAs) as a therapeutic strategy to attenuate post-stroke brain damage.16 The post-stroke induction of MMP-9 was also reported in non-human primates and in human brain.8 17–19 It was shown in different ischaemic models that the genetic deletion of MMP-9 in mice attenuates the post-stroke brain damage.20–22
In this study, MMP-12 expression was predominantly upregulated (~763-fold vs sham) in mouse ischaemic brains. The post-stroke induction of MMP-12 in mice is consistent with our earlier findings in rats, wherein we reported a predominant upregulation of MMP-12 (~47-fold vs sham at 1-day reperfusion and ~265-fold vs sham at 7-day reperfusion) over other MMPs.10 MMP-12 can activate other MMPs such as pro-MMP-2 and pro-MMP-3, which, in turn, can activate pro-MMP-1 and pro-MMP-9.23 Our recent reports clearly demonstrated the detrimental role of the induced MMP-12 on post-stroke brain damage.6 10 Further, the mesenchymal stem cell treatment that prevented the post-stroke induction of MMP-12 attenuated the post-stroke brain damage.24 25
Post-stroke induction of MMP-8 (~279-fold vs sham) was the largest after MMP-12 in mice. Our results are in agreement with a recent report wherein the authors have demonstrated the upregulation of MMP-8 mRNA and protein in mouse ischaemic brains at 1-day reperfusion subsequent to a transient focal cerebral ischaemia.12 Elevated MMP-8 brain mRNA expression was also recently reported at 3 and 7 days post-ischaemia induction in a photothrombotic ischaemic mouse model.15 Although the post-stroke induction of MMP-8 at 1 day after reperfusion in rats is minimal (~3-fold vs sham), the increase in mRNA expression is prominent (~35-fold vs sham at 5 and 7 days of reperfusion) at later reperfusion time points.10 Overall, the post-stroke induction of MMP-8 was evident in both the rodent stroke models. Post-stroke induction of MMP-8 was also reported in human brain.8 Inactivation of MMP-8 either by administration of MMP-8 inhibitor or MMP-8 specific shRNA immediately after reperfusion subsequent to a transient focal cerebral ischaemia reduced the extent of brain damage.12
At 1-day reperfusion after a transient focal cerebral ischaemia, MMP-3 was downregulated (~5-fold vs sham) in the ischaemic brains of mice. In contrast, in rats, mRNA expression was upregulated (~11-fold vs sham) along with protein expression at 1-day reperfusion; however no change was noticed in mRNA expression at 3, 5, and 7 days of reperfusion.6 10 In addition, increased protein expression of MMP-3 was reported in reactive astrocytes and/or microglia/macrophages at 3 days of reperfusion in mice.26 Increased MMP-3 protein expression was recently reported in brain tissue of deceased patients who had an ischaemic stroke within the previous 4 days.8 MMP-3 can proteolytically activate MMP-9.27 28 The post-stroke induction of MMP-3 could be detrimental because its inhibition either by administration of its inhibitor or MMP-3 specific shRNA in rats significantly improved the functional outcome in hyperglycaemic stroke.11
Upregulation of MMP-2 was reported in the ischaemic brain of rats at 5 days of reperfusion as compared with its expression at the initial time points after reperfusion.29 In agreement with these findings, we reported a marked increase in MMP-2 activity in rats at 7 days of reperfusion.10 However, we did not notice a prominent difference in the mRNA expression of MMP-2 until 7 days of reperfusion. In contrast, in this study, MMP-2 was reasonably upregulated (~11-fold vs sham) in mice at 1-day reperfusion. Elevated MMP-2 brain mRNA expression was also recently reported at 3 and 7 days post-ischaemia induction in a photothrombotic ischaemic mouse model.15
Interestingly, MMP-1a, MMP-10, MMP-15, MMP-16, MMP-17 and MMP-21 were downregulated (>10-fold vs sham) in mice in this study in contrast to rats at 1-day reperfusion.10 Of all the MMPs that were downregulated in mice, the degree of reduction in MMP-10 mRNA expression (~247-fold vs sham) is predominant over other MMPs. In a thromboembolic stroke model, MMP-10 knockout mice had similar infarct size as the wild-type mice.9 Administration of MMP-10 to wild-type mice reduced the infarct size. In the same thromboembolic stroke model, administration of MMP-10 in combination with tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) significantly reduced the infarct size as compared with tPA alone.14 In contrast to animal studies, increased MMP-10 protein levels were reported in human ischaemic brain.8
Most of the studies we discussed here in mice with genetic deletion of certain MMPs are in conventional knockout models (constitutive). The constitutive knockout of a target MMP is likely to result in the compensatory changes in these mice with altered expression of other MMPs. This further complicates the interpretation of the data that will be generated from these animal models. In this study, genetic deletion of MMP-12 prevented the post-stroke upregulation of MMP-12, MMP-2 and MMP-8 and downregulation of MMP-1a, MMP-10 and MMP-21, as well as upregulated MMP-28 as compared with wild-type mice. In fact, the genetic deletion of MMP-12 under normal conditions also resulted in the altered expression of several other MMPs. Our findings demonstrated that the MMP-12 knockout mice are not the suitable models to conclusively assess the role of MMP-12. It also raise the question of whether the same apply to other MMP deleted constitutive knockout mice.
In summary, our results demonstrate the differences in the post-stroke expression of MMPs in the ischaemic brain. Of all the MMPs, MMP-12 upregulation is predominant in the ischaemic brain of both rodent species. Because of the compensatory changes, constitutive MMP knockout mice may not be the suitable models for confirmatory studies.