Background: The objective of this study was to assess the concentration of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in peripheral circulation and their mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with CAP caused by M. pneumoniae.
Material/Methods: We prospectively analyzed MMPs in 40 hospitalized patients with M. pneumoniae CAP on admission, and in the convalescent phase. Twenty healthy men were used as controls. Quantitative real-time PCR and ELISA tests were used.
Results: MMP-9 mRNA expression in PBMCs was increased in the acute phase of illness compared to the control group as well as in convalescent phase in which case it was statistically significant (Mann-Whitney; p=0.028). The same was found for MMP-9 plasma levels (Mann-Whitney test; p<0.001; p=0.001). Circulating MMP-2 concentration in acute patients was significantly lower than in the control group and convalescent phase (Mann-Whitney test; p=0.012; p=0.001), while no MMP-2 mRNA expression was found in PBMCs. The plasma level of MMP-9 correlated with leukocyte count in peripheral circulation (r=0.67, p<0.001).
Conclusions: We conclude that M. pneumoniae in adult CAP induces activity of MMP-9 in peripheral blood circulation.

Keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae - physiology, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - genetics, Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 - genetics, Leukocytes, Mononuclear - enzymology, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic, Croatia - epidemiology, Community-Acquired Infections - microbiology, Child, Adolescent, Pneumonia, Mycoplasma - microbiology, young adult