TIMP1 and chronic hepatitis C virus infection: Study revealed that altered level of MMP and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) expression are linked to hepatic fibroproliferation in chronic Hepatitis C. HIV/HCV co-infected patients with more advance reduction of CD4+ T cell display enhanced circulating TIMP-1 level and thus promote liver fibrosis (Mastroianni et al., 2014).