Matrix metalloproteinases and their role in psoriasis

•In psoriasis, MMPs are involved in the structural changes of the epidermis.•Some MMPs become differentially expressed during the disease eruption.•Matrix metalloproteinases may be a potential target for the treatment of psoriasis.

This review summarizes the contribution of matrix metalloproteinases to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In psoriasis, matrix metalloproteinases are involved in the structural changes of the epidermis via the modification of intracellular contacts and the composition of the extracellular matrix, promoting angiogenesis in the dermal blood vessels and the infiltration of immune cells. Moreover, some matrix metalloproteinases become differentially expressed during the disease eruption and their expression correlates with the clinical score. A separate section of the review is dedicated to the pharmacological approaches that are used to control matrix metalloproteinases, such as oral metalloproteinase inhibitors, such as azasugars and phosphonamides.The aim of this manuscript is to assess the role of matrix metalloproteinases in the physiological processes that accompany the disease. Moreover, it is especially important to evaluate progress in this field and characterize recently appeared medicines. Because any experimental drugs that target matrix metalloproteinases are involved in active clinical trials, this manuscript also reviews the latest experimental data regarding distribution and expression of matrix metalloproteinases in healthy skin and lesional skin. Therefore, the performed analysis highlights potential problems associated with the use of metalloproteinase inhibitors in clinical studies and suggests simple and easy understandable criteria that future innovative metalloproteinase inhibitors shall satisfy.