Simply put MMPs are a family of about 27 (mmp-1 to MMP-27) enzymes that share a common characteristic function and structure of cutting "THINGS" up into little pieces.

Unfortunately for MS folks they (MMP-9s) like to cut a hole in our BBB Blood Brain Barrier and then enter the brain and cut our myelin into three components that the other hungry characters like to dine on.

They (MMPs) all have a zinc ion tip that allows them to break down hydrogen bonds in tissue thus allows absorption of dead or dying tissue to be reabsorbed or sent via the lymph system to others places to exit out the poop shoot.

The MMP-9s usually have an accompanying regulator protein that is suppose to make sure that it only "eat/cuts up" BAD stuff. This is called a TIMP-1. For NORMAL folks there is a one-to-one ratio of MMP-9 to TIMP-1s.

Sad to say for us MS folks that we have lots of MMP-9s that I call ROGUE MMP-9s that have no accompanying regulating timp-1. Just before and during a MS relapse the total MMP-9s level rise significently(ALSO LOTS OF ROGUE MMP-9s). The first thing they do is cut a BIG hole in our BBB Blood Brain Barrier!! They then enter and do the following...

They just wander around the brain cutting up anything "active" and when they run into an active transmission cable the eat through it, The outside of that cable is called myelin. (a fatty insulating substance)

The advantage of taking an Interferon Beta is that after about 4 to 6 months of starting beta treatment that the ratio of MMP-s to TIMP-1s goes back to the desirable one-to-one ration.

There are NO effective drugs to lower just MMP-9s. Some drugs were developed but they shut them all (all 27) down and killed the host.

Some antibiotics seem to lower MMP-9s quite well but taking those for long periods of time can be equally deadly. Likewise taking some steroids can lower the MMP-9s quite well but can be equally deadly over the long haul.

I have many of the FULL TEXT articles in my Web Storage area but since I am unworthy to tell you how to get there to read them I will just say they are GREAT and have LOTS of neat pics and charts. I will post the short abstracts of them.

jackD