Amlodipine inhibits matrix metalloproteinases expression and secretion in mouse macrophage

Objective To investigate whether the calcium channel blocker umlodipine could inhibit macrophage matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix melalloproteinasc-9 (MMP-9) expression and secretion. Methods Peritoneal macrophages were isolated from BALB/C mice and incubated with low (5|ig/L ), middle ( 1'p.g/L) and high (30?u,g/L) concentrations of amlodipine. or in the medium alone (controls) for 24 hours, and the expression and secretion of MMP-2 and MM-9 of the cells were analyzed by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography. Results Compared with controls, amlodipine at low concentration had no significant effects on the expression and secretion of either MMP-2 and MMP-9 (P>0.05) at middle concentrationit it could inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions completely and significantly reduced the secretion of MMP-9 (P<().()5); but it had no effect on the secretion of MMP-2. At high concentration it also inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression completely. Conclusion Amlodipine at 15 ig/L inhibited the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and reduced the secretion of MMP-9, suggesting that amlodipine may stabilize atherosclerotic plaque.