Objective— Although it has been reported that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 is a major proteinase in atherosclerotic plaque lesions, there is no direct evidence of the role of MMP-2 in atherosclerotic lesion formation. In the present study we determined the role of MMP-2 in atherosclerosis plaque development using apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE ^−/− ) mice. Methods and Results— To generate MMP-2–deficient, apoE-deficient mice (MMP-2 ^−/− :apoE ^−/− ), MMP-2 ^−/− mice were crossed with apoE ^−/− mice. After 8 weeks of feeding with a lipid-rich diet, morphological and biochemical studies of the aortic sinus and arch were conducted. A significant reduction of the atherosclerotic plaque in the aortic sinus and arch with the decrease in smooth muscle cell-positive area was observed in MMP-2 ^−/− :apoE ^−/− mice compared with that of MMP-2 ^+/+ :apoE ^−/− mice. Macrophage- and collagen-positive areas were less in aortic sinus but not in aortic arch in MMP-2 ^−/− :apoE ^−/− mice. There was no difference of MMP-9 mRNA expression in the plaque lesion between the 2 genotypes. A much lower level of mRNA expression of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was detected in the atherosclerotic plaque lesions of MMP-2 ^−/− :apoE ^−/− mice than in those of MMP-2 ^+/+ :apoE ^−/− mice. Conclusions— MMP-2 contributes to the development of atherosclerosis in apoE ^−/− mice.

Background— Although it has been demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the arterial remodeling in atherosclerosis and restenosis, it is not clear which MMP is involved in which process. To define the role of MMP-2 in arterial remodeling, we evaluated the influence of the targeted deletion of the MMP-2 gene on vascular remodeling after flow cessation in the murine carotid arteries. Methods and Results— The left common carotid arteries of wild-type and MMP-2–deficient mice were ligated just proximal to their bifurcations, and the animals were then processed for morphological and biochemical studies at specific time points. MMP-2 activity and mRNA levels increased in ligated carotid arteries of wild-type mice on the basis of observation by gelatin zymography and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. There was significantly less intimal hyperplasia in MMP-2–deficient mice at 2 and 4 weeks after ligation than there in wild-type mice. Arterial explants from the aorta of MMP-2–deficient mice showed that smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration was inhibited in comparison with wild-type mice. The chemoattractant-directed invasion through a reconstituted basement membrane barrier was significantly reduced in cultured SMCs derived from MMP-2–deficient mice, although no difference was observed in SMC migration across the filter or in proliferative response between the control and MMP-2–deficient mice. Conclusions— In a mouse carotid artery blood flow cessation model, MMP-2 contributes to intimal hyperplasia mainly through the SMC migration from the media into the intima by degrading and breaching the extracellular matrix proteins surrounding each cell and the internal elastic lamina.