Serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and 2 in patients with eosinophilic fasciitis.
BACKGROUND
Serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have been reported to be elevated in patients with various connective tissue diseases. However, there has been no report that evaluates TIMPs in patients with eosinophilic fasciitis (EF).


OBJECTIVE
To determine serum TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels in patients with EF and to investigate their clinical significance.


METHODS
Immunohistochemical stainings were performed in normal and EF skin samples. Serum TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels of 11 patients with EF and 12 healthy individuals were also measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.


RESULTS
The fascia of EF patients was stained only by TIMP-1. Serum TIMP-1 levels (mean +/- SD) were significantly higher in EF patients than in healthy individuals (206.3 +/- 65.4 vs. 145.2 +/- 36.2 ng mL(-1), P < 0.01). Serum TIMP-1 levels in EF patients were significantly correlated with serum gamma-globulin and IgG levels (r = 0.86, P < 0.05; r = 0.83, P < 0.005, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that TIMP-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of EF, and that TIMP-1 may be a useful marker for the disease activity as well as serum gamma-globulin or IgG levels.
Jinnin
M
M
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
Ihn
H
H
Yamane
K
K
Asano
Y
Y
Yazawa
N
N
Tamaki
K
K
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2