Significance of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase in chronic liver diseases and its possible contribution in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Activation of hepatic steellate cells (HSCs) is the central event in hepatic fibrosis. HSCs arrange an array of changes including degradation of normal extracellular matrix (ECM) of the liver, deposition of scar molecules, vascular & organ contraction and release of cytokines.

Imbalance in the extracellular activities of MMPs & TIMPs has been linked with pathological tissue destruction seen in cancer, arthritis and cardiovascular diseases.

Serum TIMP is suggested to be useful for clinical assessment of liver fibrosis and the objective of this study was to find its role in hepatic fibrosis in chronic liver disease (CLD) and development of HCC.