Analysis of nerves of pure neuritic patients demonstrated that MMP-2, MMP-9, and TNF mRNA production is highly induced in the AFB(−) lesions in relation to AFB(+) neuritic leprosy and non-leprosy control group (114), whereas CCL2 and CXCL10 chemokines are not determinant for the establishment of AFB(+) or AFB(−) in advanced stages of leprosy nerve lesions. Here, MMP9 is linked to leprosy.