The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Ocular Pathologies

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 1938

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ikerbasque, Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Experimental Ophthalmo-Biology Group, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Interests: biomarker; tear film; hydrogel; ocular surface; dry eye; glaucoma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Ophthalmology, Coimbra University, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: ocular pathologies; nanomedicine; innovative strategies; monitoring, diagnosis, treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are a family of more than twenty Zn2+-dependent endopeptidases that share the same structural pattern. Their combined activity is capable of degrading almost all the components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which points to their essential role in physiological processes that require matrix remodelling, such as embryonic development, the endometrial cycle, tissue repair or angiogenesis.

Similarly, MMPs are also involved in pathological processes in which excessive degradation of the matrix occurs, such as arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The MMPs known to date can be divided into different subgroups based on their structure and specific substrates. These subgroups include collagenases, stromelysins, matrilysins, gelatinases, membrane metalloproteinases (MT-MMPs) and other MMPs that do not fit into the above groups.

I am pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of Biology entitled: “The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Ocular Pathologies”. Biology publishes reviews, research papers, and communications in all areas of biology and at the interface of related disciplines.

This Special Issue summarizes current knowledge regarding these proteins, their participation in physiological and pathophysiological roles, their involvement in activation and inhibition, and their interactions with other proteins.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Arantxa Acera
Dr. Elisa Julião Campos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomarkers
  • MMPs
  • extracellular matrix
  • dry eye
  • TIMPs
  • glaucoma
  • ocular surface
  • trabecular meshwork

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

17 pages, 1510 KiB  
Review
Matrix Metalloproteinases and the Pathogenesis of Recurrent Corneal Erosions and Epithelial Basement Membrane Dystrophy
by Katarzyna Jadczyk-Sorek, Wojciech Garczorz, Beata Bubała-Stachowicz, Tomasz Francuz and Ewa Mrukwa-Kominek
Biology 2023, 12(9), 1263; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12091263 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1613
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteolytic enzymes which are members of the zinc endopeptidase family. They have the ability to degrade extracellular matrix elements, allowing for the release of binding molecules and cell migration. Although metalloproteinases regulate numerous physiological processes within [...] Read more.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of proteolytic enzymes which are members of the zinc endopeptidase family. They have the ability to degrade extracellular matrix elements, allowing for the release of binding molecules and cell migration. Although metalloproteinases regulate numerous physiological processes within the cornea, overexpression of metalloproteinase genes and an imbalance between the levels of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors can contribute to the inhibition of repair processes, the development of inflammation and excessive cellular proliferation. The involvement of MMPs in the pathogenesis of dystrophic corneal diseases needs clarification. Our analyses focus on the involvement of individual metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of recurrent corneal erosions and highlight their impact on the development of corneal epithelial basement membrane dystrophy (EBMD). We hypothesize that abnormalities observed in patients with EBMD may result from the accumulation and activation of metalloproteinases in the basal layers of the corneal epithelium, leading to basement membrane degradation. A barrier formed from degradation materials inhibits the normal migration of epithelial cells to the superficial layers, which contributes to the development of the aforementioned lesions. This hypothesis seems to be lent support by the elevated concentrations of metalloproteinases in the corneal epithelium of these patients found in our previous studies on the relationships between MMPs and recurrent corneal erosions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Ocular Pathologies)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop