Figure 3

Effects of thrombin (Th, U/ml), hirudin (Hir, U/ml) on release of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities, and influence of Th on expression of MMP-9 mRNA in HDFs. The cells were incubated with Th, Hir at 37°C for 6 h. Gelatin zymography was used to detect proMMP-2 and proMMP-9 activities. (A) MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities released from HDFs in response to various concentrations of Th; (B) MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities released from HDFs in response to Th at 5 U/ml and Hir; (C) MMP-9 mRNA expression in HDFs in response to various concentrations of Th. The values shown are Mean ± SD for four separate experiments. Cells from each one of the four dermal fibroblast donors were used for one independent experiment. * P < 0.05 in comparison with the response to medium alone (Con); † P < 0.05 in comparison with the response to the corresponding stimulus alone.