Correlation between the appearance of gelatinases in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and polymorphonuclear elastase, stromelysin-1, and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify whether gelatinases in the synovial fluid are related to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
Gelatinases in the synovial fluid of patients with RA were analyzed by gelatin zymography.


RESULTS
We classified patients into 3 distinct groups based on the gelatinases present. Although inactive gelatinase A was found in the synovial fluid of all patients with RA, the presence of gelatinase B varied: group I contained none, group II contained inactive gelatinase B, and group III contained active gelatinase B. The presence of gelatinase B was positively correlated with the polymorphonuclear (PMN) elastase content of the synovial fluid. Furthermore, the presence of activated gelatinase B correlated well with the stromelysin-1 content. Conversely, large amounts of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were found in the synovial fluid of patients in group II.


CONCLUSIONS
The appearance and form of gelatinase B may reflect the inflammatory condition of patients with RA.
Watanabe
Y
Y
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hokkaido Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Japan.
Shimamori
Y
Y
Fujii
N
N
Yamaguchi
R
R
Fujimoto
Y
Y
Matsuno
H
H
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases
D006023:Glycoproteins; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D017364:Collagenases; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9