Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are extracellularly acting endopeptidases, whose substrates are extracellular matrix and adhesion proteins.
In the gene polymorphism studies MMP-9 has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of heart disease, cancer, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In animal models MMP-9 has been shown to play a key role in a variety of neuronal plasticity phenomena, including learning and memory as well as drug addiction.
We found a statistically significant preferential transmission of the T allele (known to produce higher gene transcriptional activity) from parents to alcoholics (59%, p = 0.046). In case-control study genotype TT and T alleles were significantly more frequent in the alcoholics than in the controls (OR = 2.6).
Our results suggest that the MMP-9 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence.
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