MMP2 and congestive heart failure: In addition, curcumin inhibits p38 and c-JunN-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways by increasing the expression of Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK-3), which in turn decreases MMP-2 and MMP-9, leading to ECM degradation and vascular degeneration, and attenuates chronic heart failure (CHF) rabbit myocardial fibrosis (202).