Serum type I and type III procollagen peptide levels in sarcoidosis.
Type I and type III are the most abundant collagens in the lung. The aim of our study was to compare type I and III procollagen peptides in sera of sarcoid patients. Sixty eight patients with sarcoidosis were studied (19 with newly recognized disease, 7 with relapsing disease, 15 with chronic disease, and 27 in stable remission). Thirty healthy volunteers served as controls. The levels of procollagen I and III peptides were determined by radioimmunoassay. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) level was evaluated by means of a colorimetric assay. In patients with newly recognized sarcoidosis, both serum procollagen I and III peptide levels were increased with respect to controls (p=0.0014 and p<0.00001, respectively). There was a poor correlation between levels of procollagen I and III (r=0.26), whereas there was a closer correlation between procollagen III and ACE (r=0.69). Procollagen I peptide level did not identify patients in roentgenological stage III. In conclusion, in patients with newly recognized sarcoidosis there is a significant increase in the serum level of procollagen I peptide. However, procollagen I peptide is not a marker of sarcoid patients with fibrosis, ie. stage III disease. Its clinical usefulness seems to be weaker than that of procollagen III peptide.
Bacchella
L
L
Servizio di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Clinica del Lavoro, Pavia, Italy.
Tinelli
C
C
Gilè
L S
LS
Peona
V
V
Aprile
C
C
Gorrini
M
M
Pasturenzi
L
L
Cetta
G
G
Luisetti
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D055395:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C525705:BMP1 protein, human; D055395:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1