{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]],"date-time":"2026-01-18T05:30:10Z","timestamp":1768714210745,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,26]],"date-time":"2022-10-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1666742400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have recently been proposed as promising biomarkers in different immune-mediated disorders. We evaluated the plasma levels of MMP-9 and MMP-2 and their tissue inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in a patients\u2019 cohort with generalized myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods: Plasma concentrations of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were evaluated in 14 patients with generalized MG and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The severity of disease was assessed by the modified Osserman classification. Results: Compared to the healthy subjects, MG patients had increased plasma concentrations of MMP-9, but reduced plasma levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-1. MG patients also showed a positive correlation between MMP-2 concentrations and disease severity. An increase in MMP-9 levels and MMP-9\/TIMP-1 ratio and a decrease in MMP-2 levels and MMP-2\/TIMP-2 ratio were detected in patients with generalized MG. Higher levels of MMP-2 correlated with greater disease severity. Discussion: Our preliminary findings suggest that MMPs and TIMPs could play a role in the pathogenesis of MG and might be associated with the risk of clinical deterioration.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci12111439","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,26]],"date-time":"2022-10-26T07:17:48Z","timestamp":1666768668000},"page":"1439","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Metalloproteinases and Tissue Inhibitors in Generalized Myasthenia Gravis. A Preliminary Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9805-1655","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Di Stefano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Tubiolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Gagliardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rosalia","family":"Presti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Montana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6527-3558","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Massimiliano","family":"Todisco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1499-9460","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonino","family":"Lupica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gregorio","family":"Caimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1513-2113","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Tassorelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brigida","family":"Fierro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Filippo","family":"Brighina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostic (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0309-6410","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Cosentino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"645","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ceb.2009.06.006","article-title":"Matrix metalloproteinase proteomics: Substrates, targets, and therapy","volume":"21","author":"Morrison","year":"2009","journal-title":"Curr. 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