Objective:
Proteins of the
matrix metalloproteinases family play a vital role in extracellular matrix maintenance and basic physiological processes in tissue homeostasis. The function and activities of
matrix metalloproteinases in response to compression
therapies have yet to be defined. Here, a swine model of
hypertrophic scar was used to profile the transcription of all known 26
matrix metalloproteinases in
scars treated with a precise compression dose. Methods: Full-thickness excisional
wounds were created.
Wounds underwent healing and
scar formation. A subset of
scars underwent 2 weeks of compression
therapy. Biopsy specimens were preserved, and microarrays, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were performed to characterize the transcription and expression of various
matrix metalloproteinase family members. Results: Microarray results showed that 13 of the known 26
matrix metalloproteinases were differentially transcribed in
wounds relative to the preinjury skin. The predominant upregulation of these
matrix metalloproteinases during early wound-healing stages declined gradually in later stages of wound healing. The use of compression
therapy reduced this decline in 10 of the 13 differentially regulated
matrix metalloproteinases. Further investigation of MMP7 using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the effect of compression on transcript levels. Assessment of MMP7 at the
protein level using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry was concordant. Conclusions: In a swine model of
hypertrophic scar, the application of compression to
hypertrophic scar attenuated a trend of decreasing levels of
matrix metalloproteinases during the process of hypertrophic wound healing, including MMP7, whose
enzyme regulation was confirmed at the
protein level.