MMP3 and inflammatory bowel disease: However MMP and TIMP expression in fibrotic intestinal resections from IBD patients remains controversial; MMP-2, -3, -9 and TIMP-1 are reportedly increased to a similar extent in fibrotic and inflamed intestinal tissue relative to tissue from healthy subjects14,15, while others observed that TIMP-1 is increased but MMP-3 is reduced in intestinal fibrosis relative to nearby unstrictured tissue13.