Multinucleate giant cells release functionally unopposed matrix metalloproteinase-9 in vitro and in vivo

Multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) are characteristic of granulomatous inflammation. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9, the major monocyte-derived matrix metalloproteinase, is key in inflammatory tissue damage. At 72 h, MGCs secrete 153 +/- 2.5 ng/mL MMP-9, compared with 115 +/- 3.8 ng/mL during macrophage differentiation (). In contrast, the P !.05 level of MGC secretion-specific tissue inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase ( TIMP)-1, is lower (). Ma-P !.05 ture MGCs secrete constitutively greater concentrations of MMP-9 than do monocytes or macrophages (). MGCs P !.05 in tuberculous lymph-node biopsy samples express high MMP-9 levels adjacent to areas of necrosis, whereas TIMP1 is not detected. Thus, MGCs are potentially important sources of MMP-9 secretion and may contribute to inflammatory tissue damage in human tuberculosis.