title: Serum type I and type III procollagen peptide levels in sarcoidosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Clinica del Lavoro, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bacchella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tinelli
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Gilè
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peona
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aprile
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorrini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pasturenzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cetta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luisetti
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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