Our study showed that the intracellular FL-MMP-2 isoform was localized to the sarcomeres, which suggests intracellular MMP-2 is also induced in diabetic cardiomyopathy and that it caused cardiac contractile dysfunction during early stage DM CMP without inducing ECM fibrosis or LV remodeling. Here, MMP2 is linked to diabetic cardiomyopathy.