Figure 2.

Highlighting the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. (a) MMPs in PD contributes to microglia activation, dopaminergic apoptosis, DJ-1 degradation, and α-synuclein cleavage; (b) in AD, the deposition of amyloid plaques results in the activation of astrocytes and microglia, inducing the MMP production, which contribute to the BBB degradation; (c) in ALS, MMPs contributes to BBB alteration, the downregulation of tight junctional proteins, and neuronal degradation; and, (d) MMPs contribute to MS pathogenesis via BBB degradation, myelin degradation, proinflammatory cytokine release, and infiltration of immune cells. Legends Aβ, β-amyloid; AD, Alzheimer’s disease; ALS, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; BBB, blood brain barrier; BSCB, blood-spinal cord barrier, DJ-1, protein in humans encoded by PARK7 gene; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase; MS, Multiple sclerosis; PD, Parkinson’s disease.