skin & beauty

MMP2

A Matrix Protein That Greatly Increases Your Risk of Acne (MMP2)

Written by John Williams, B.Sc on October 9th, 2020

The MMP2 gene codes for a protein that reduces inflammation by cleaving certain immune cells. Some rare variants have a greatly increased risk of acne. Do you carry one of these variants? Read on to find out.

Summary

MMP2 encodes matrix metalloproteinase-2, a protein that reduces inflammation. Variants that produce less MMP2 will have higher levels of other inflammation-causing immune cells, increasing the risk of acne. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by restoring normal MMP2 levels or by decreasing inflammation.

MMP2 and Acne

The MMP2 gene codes for matrix metalloproteinase 2, a protein that reduces inflammation in your body by cutting and inactivating a number of different immune cells. Inflammation is when an area of your body feels big, hot and red and is one of the symptoms of acne. Variants that produce less MMP2 will therefore have greater inflammation and a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with acne [R].

Your MMP2 Results for Acne

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs243865

Primary SNP: [MMP2] rs243865

‘T’ = associated with increased odds of acne
‘C’ = no association with acne

The ‘TT’ variant is extremely uncommon, occurring in only 2.8% of the population. However, one study found that the ‘T’ variant increases your risk of acne by about 3.5 times compared to the ‘C’ variant. The researchers could not determine if ‘TT’ was worse than ‘CT’ because the ‘TT’ variant was so rare [R].

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Reduce stress

Glucocorticoids like cortisol, the ‘stress’ hormone, can cause levels of MMP2 to go down. Similarly, low levels of cortisol are associated with high MMP2 levels. As a result, it is a good idea to keep your stress levels low where possible [R, R].

Multiple studies have found an association between acne severity and high stress. One study found that relaxation therapy over a six week period significantly reduced acne symptoms.

A different acne-related study found that high levels of stress were associated with slower wound healing [R, R, R, R].

Stress appears to make acne worse and so reducing it where possible may provide a benefit.

Diet & Supplements

Zinc

MMP2 requires zinc in order to function properly. It is therefore important to prevent your zinc levels from dropping too much. Studies have suggested that low zinc levels seem to be associated with increased acne severity [R, R, R].

Most zinc in the Western diet comes from red meat and chicken. As a result, you are probably already getting the recommended amount of zinc in your diet if you are a meat-eater. If you are a vegeterian or vegan, consume zinc-fortified breakfast cereals, pumpkin seeds, and baked beans [R].

If you can’t obtain enough zinc from a balanced diet, consider taking a supplement. A number of clinical trials suggest that taking zinc supplements (zinc sulfate or zinc gluconate) may improve acne [R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Low zinc levels are associated with more severe acne; make sure you are getting enough from your diet and/or supplements.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

After MMP2 activity in cancer cells was decreased using arsenic trioxide, adding N-acetylcysteine caused the MMP2 levels to return to normal [R].

Another study showed that a 5% NAC gel applied directly onto the skin was able to improve mild to moderate acne [R].

Topical N-acetylcysteine may improve acne by targeting your MMP2 variant.

John Williams

B.Sc

John received his BSc from the University of Toronto. John has spent the last several years teaching high school science and math to English-language learners, which has forced him to learn how to simplify difficult concepts as much as possible. He has also worked in two different research labs and has experience as a student intern working and studying under doctors in hospitals and clinics to help diagnose and treat patients, interpret lab results and fill out mountains of paperwork.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More skin & beauty blogs

Genetic Link Between Acne and Inflammation (TNF) Is Your Skin Prone to Trapping Acne Bacteria? (TGFB2) A Gene Linking Bacteria, Inflammation, and Acne (IL4R) A Surprising Genetic Factor for Acne (FST) The Link Between DNA Repair, Oily Skin & Acne (DDB2) A Genetic Link Between an Immune System Protein & Acne (IL8) How a Metabolic Gene Contributes to Acne (PPARG) Cortisol Genetics in Acne Development (HSD11B1) Can Skin Inflammation Cause Acne? (SELL) The Relationship Between Clogged Pores & Acne (IL1A)

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