Heart transplantation is undergoing a continuous development, with rates of success increasing substantially due to advances in immunosuppressive therapy and surgical techniques. The most worrying complication occurring after cardiac transplantation is graft rejection, a phenomenon that is much affected by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), with the role of these proteases in the cardiac remodeling process being well established in the literature. A detailed investigation of the association between MMPs and cardiac rejection is necessary for the future development of more targeted therapies in transplanted patients, and to discover prognostic serum and immunohistochemical markers that will lead to more organized therapeutic management in these patients. The aim of this review is therefore to highlight the main MMPs relevant to cardiovascular pathology, with particular emphasis on those involved in complications related to heart transplantation, including cardiac graft rejection.
Keywords: graft rejection; heart transplantation; matrix metalloproteinases.