MMP2 and atherosclerosis: Regarding one of the macrovascular complication of DM (atherosclerosis) and its contribution to hypertension pathogenesis, De Rosa et al. demonstrated that similar increased concentrations of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive patients with type 2 DM may indicate early changes in vascular extracellular matrix turnover which, over the time, leads to the increase in arterial stiffness [97].