Evaluation of expression levels and MMP-9 activity in osteoporotic bones of animals that develop atherosclerosis

• Grant number: 15/25719-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: October 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: João Paulo Mardegan Issa
• Grantee: Thales Rosolen
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a systemic metabolic disease that affects bones of millions of people worldwide causing mineral and density bone loss and increased risk of fractures. Other serious diseases which are also a serious public health problem are cardiovascular diseases, which are responsible for thousands of deaths around the world. Recent studies in the literature indicate that there is a correlation between osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerosis, but the factors which interconnect these two diseases are still unknown. Findings in the literature have shown that a metalloproteinase from the extracellular matrix, MMP-9 has been described as overexpressed in vivo and in vitro studies both in cardiovascular disease as in osteoporosis. Based on these findings, the hypothesis is that MMP-9 is a primary molecule for the development and progression of both pathogens and for this reason we will investigate the role of this protease using animal models with osteoporosis and which develop atherosclerosis with a hypercholesterolemic diet (apolipoprotein E knockout mice, APOE - / -). In this study we will check the expression levels of MMP-9 in the bones of these animals through the Western blotting analyzes, as well as zymography gel to verify the gelatinolytic activity of this protease. The future findings will be of great importance for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in these two pathogens, in which the discovery of a molecule can be targeted for future vaccines and drugs.