DETECTION AND PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE ACTIVITY IN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR-JOINT LAVAGE FLUID

In this study, lavage fluid was fractionated from the superior joint s pace in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. A hid e powder azure protease assay was used to assess protease activity in lavage fluid. No correlation between a patient's pain and the level of protease activity was demonstrated. Latent as well as active protease s were detected in the sample lavage fluid. Latent matrix metalloprote inases (MMPs) were activated using trypsin. Stromelysin-l was detected in an active form in lavage fluid by immunozymography. The presence o f high molecular weight species with protease activity was also demons trated. This study validates the presence of stromelysin-l as well as other MMPs in TMJ lavage fluid and proposes a mechanism for their phys iologic activation.