title: Tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-1 levels are increased in serum of patients with allergic contact dermatitis.
abstract: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is an antigen-specific, T-cell-mediated skin inflammatory disease. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) play a role in degradation of extracellular matrix and subsequent tissue remodelling during inflammatory process. The objective of this study was to examine a possible role of TIMP-1 and MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of ACD. The serum levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 have been measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with disseminated ACD during exacerbation of skin lesions and the remission stage (n= 20) and were compared with healthy subjects (n= 20). The mean serum levels of TIMP-1 were significantly higher in patients with ACD than in control group (42.8 +/- 4.9 ng/ml). This difference was more prominent in patients with ACD during remission (69.01 +/- 6.99 ng/ml, P < 0.0001) than in patients with exacerbation of disease (46.8 +/- 3.6 ng/ml, P= 0.0054). Mean values of serum MMP-9 did not differ significantly between patients with ACD, both in the acute and in the remission stage, compared with healthy persons (P= 0.76 and P= 0.29, respectively). TIMP-1 might be involved in pathogenesis of ACD. It seems that moderately increased levels of TIMP-1 could reflect degree of activity of skin inflammation, whereas markedly increased levels could contribute to the maintenance of the remission of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland. treduta@amb.edu.pl
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reduta
authors.forename: Halina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laudańska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laudanski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010328:Patch Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9