Selective Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Increases Collagen Content of Established Mouse Atherosclerosis

Pharmacological MMP-13 inhibition yields collagen accumulation in plaques (a feature associated in humans with resistance to rupture), even in established plaques. This study, of considerable clinical relevance, furnishes new mechanistic insight into regulation of the plaque's extracellular matrix and validates molecular imaging for studying plaque biology.