Serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases in patients with mixed connective tissue disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine serum tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 levels in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and investigate whether these levels were correlated with the clinical or serological features of this disease.


METHODS
Serum TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels were measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serum samples from 26 patients with MCTD and 18 healthy individuals were examined. RESULTS; Serum levels of TIMP-1 were significantly higher in patients with MCTD than those in healthy individuals (mean +/- SD: 218.9 +/- 50.8 ng/ml versus 160.0 +/- 38.7 ng/ml, P < 0.0001). MCTD patients with elevated TIMP-1 had esophageal involvement at a significantly higher incidence than those without (77.8% versus 35.3%, p < 0.05). There was no difference in serum TIMP-2 levels between patients with MCTD and healthy controls (75.6 - 11.9 ng/ml versus 77.3 +/- 10.7 ng/ml).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that TIMP-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of MCTD, and that TIMP-1 may be a serological marker for the presence of esophageal involvement in these patients.
Jinnin
M
M
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Ihn
H
H
Yamane
K
K
Asano
Y
Y
Yazawa
N
N
Tamaki
K
K
D000328:Adult; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000097:blood*
D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2