MMP9 and dilated cardiomyopathy: Serum levels of a few MMPs (e.g., MT1-MMP, MMP-2, and MMP-9) have also been found to be increased in patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and their increased levels correlate with dilated cardiomyopathy in these patients further signifies that MMPs can serve as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in different types of muscular dystrophy (Niebroj-Dobosz et al., 2009).