Title

Unveiling MMPS and TIMPs: A narrative review of their role as biomarkers in endodontics

Authors

Panna Mangat & Dax Abraham*

Affiliation

Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Manav Rachna Dental College, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad, India; *Corresponding author

Email

Panna Mangat - E-mail: drpannamangat@gmail.com

Dax Abraham - E-mail: daxabraham.sds@mrei.ac.in

Article Type

Review

Date

Received July 1, 2026; Revised July 31, 2026; Accepted July 31, 2026, Published July 31, 2026

Abstract

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are essential regulators of extracellular matrix turnover, playing critical roles in inflammatory progression. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the role of these biomarkers in endodontic diseases, highlighting condition-specific profiles. Despite their well-established functions, the diagnostic and prognostic relevance of MMPs and TIMPs in endodontic pathologies remains underexplored. Notably, MMP-8 and MMP-9 were identified as key markers for irreversible pulpitis and periapical pathology, respectively. Thus, data shows the importance of consolidating current evidence on MMP and TIMP biomarker profiles and supporting their future integration into precision endodontic diagnosis and prognosis.

Keywords

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), MMP-8, MMP-9, biomarkers, endodontics, irreversible pulpitis, apical periodontitis

Citation

Mangat & Abraham, Bioinformation 22(7): 4216-4220 (2026)

Edited by

Ritik Kashwani

ISSN

0973-2063

Publisher

Biomedical Informatics

License

This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.