MMP9 and rheumatoid arthritis: Although many MMPs, including MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-13, have been associated with the destruction of cartilage, tendon, and bone in RA (43), the current study focused on MMP-9 because of several previous in vitro studies demonstrating its TL1A-driven release from macrophage-like cell lines (26,44).