{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T23:52:40Z","timestamp":1789689160600,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,19]],"date-time":"2024-02-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1708300800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100007771","name":"Medical University of Silesia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PCN-1-003\/K\/1\/O"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PCN-1-003\/K\/1\/O"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100007771","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The etiology of keratoconus is unclear. Current evidence suggests that inflammatory and systemic mechanisms might play a role in its pathophysiology. The proper interaction of proteolytic enzymes\u2014matrix metalloproteinases\u2014and their specific tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) within the cornea is essential in maintaining its structure, transparency and healing processes. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of the TIMPs TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, and TIMP-4 in the blood serum samples of patients with keratoconus compared to the control group. Methods: The study encompassed 132 patients, of which 83 people constituted the study group and 49 the control group. The concentration of selected TIMPs was determined using the Human Magnetic Luminex\u00ae Performance Assay method. Results: In the study group, the concentrations of TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 were statistically significantly reduced, and TIMP-2 and TIMP-4 increased compared to the control group. The analysis of individual TIMPs in terms of their usefulness as potential predictors of keratoconus showed high results of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for all TIMPs, in particular for TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Conclusion: The above results may indicate systemic disturbances in the TIMPs regulation among keratoconus patients. High diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of all TIMPs, in particular TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, may confirm their participation in the etiopathogenesis of this disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13041168","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,19]],"date-time":"2024-02-19T03:18:38Z","timestamp":1708312718000},"page":"1168","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Expression of Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases (TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3, TIMP-4) in Blood Serum of Patients with Keratoconus"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8398-2171","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta","family":"Nowak-W\u0105s","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Histology and Cell Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Kornel Gibinski University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pawe\u0142","family":"W\u0105s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Megrez Provincial Specialist Hospital in Tychy, 43-100 Tychy, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8216-4495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zenon","family":"Czuba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Romuald","family":"Wojnicz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Histology and Cell Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dorota","family":"Wygl\u0119dowska-Promie\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Kornel Gibinski University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101559","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clae.2021.101559","article-title":"Keratoconus: An updated review","volume":"45","author":"Carracedo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Contact Lens Anterior Eye"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Szaflik, J., and Izdebska, J. 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