title: Type III collagen aminopropeptide and laminin P1 levels in serum of patients with silicosis-associated and idiopathic systemic scleroderma.
abstract: A group of 191 patients with systemic scleroderma and 12 patients with silicosis-associated scleroderma were investigated for connective tissue turnover. The serum levels of type III collagen aminopropeptide (P-III-P), the laminin PI (Lam PI) fragment and the acid lysosomal beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) were determined by specific radioimmunoassays and spectrofluorometry, respectively. Increased levels of type III collagen aminopropeptide strongly correlated with enhanced activity of beta-galactosidase. Both parameters correlated with the clinical course in idiopathic systemic scleroderma and in silicosis-associated scleroderma. Serum levels of Lam PI were also found to be elevated in both groups, although there was no correlation with the severity of the disease. Autoantibodies directed against the DNA topoisomerase Scl-70 and against centromeric proteins were found in a similar range in patients with idiopathic systemic and silicosis-associated scleroderma. These results suggest that P-III-P, Lam PI and beta-Gal are useful serological markers of fibrotic activity and demonstrate similarities between idiopathic systemic scleroderma and scleroderma associated with silica-dust exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Karl-Marx-University, Leipzig, G.D.R.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heckmann
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schubert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meurer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: U F
authors.initials: UF
authors.lastname: Haustein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehlhorn
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krieg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D012829:Silicosis / Q000150:complications*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007797:Laminin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C048100:Scl 70 antigen, human; C055716:laminin P1; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I