Background and Objectives:
Diverticulosis affects a significant portion of the elderly population, with age and lifestyle being established risk factors. Additionally,
genetic predisposition is gaining recognition as a contributing factor. This pilot study sought to explore the frequency of genetic variants in
matrix metalloproteinases (
MMPs) 3, 9, and 12 in a population of
colonic diverticulosis patients. Materials and Methods: The study encompassed 134 participants: 59 diagnosed with colon
diverticulosis during colonoscopy and 75 healthy controls. The cases and controls were meticulously matched in terms of age and gender. We assessed the distribution of genetic variants MMP3 rs3025058, MMP9 rs3918242, and MMP12 rs2276109 using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragments length polymorphism technique. Results: The MMP9 rs3918242 allele T was notably more frequent in individuals with
diverticulosis when compared with the control group (p < 0.03). Furthermore, it was associated with dominant (OR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.24-5.56; p < 0.01) and co-dominant (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.06-4.13; p < 0.03) genetic models. The MMP3 rs3025058 5A/5A genotype was nearly twice as frequent in patients with
diverticulosis, while the 6A/6A genotype was only half as common in this group. Conversely, no significant correlation was established between MMP12 rs2276109 and
colonic diverticulosis. Conclusions: Our study offers the first insight into a potential connection between genetic variants in
MMPs and colon
diverticulosis. Specifically, allele T of MMP9 rs3918242 and allele 5A of MMP3 rs3025058 appear to be linked to this condition. These findings indirectly suggest a role for
extracellular matrix proteins in the pathogenesis of
diverticulosis.