Is metalloproteinase-7 specific for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?
BACKGROUND
Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-7 was reported to be a key molecule in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) based on the result of microarray analysis and knockout mice. However, the role of MMP-7 has not been determined in other types of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of MMP-7 in IIP by comparing its expression in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) and cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP).


METHODS
Levels of MMP and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase in BAL fluid and their expression on lung tissues were compared between normal control subjects (n = 5) and the patients with IPF (n = 6) and COP (n = 11).


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in BAL fluid MMP-7 levels between UIP and COP, although it was higher in both diseases compared to normal control subjects. Furthermore, the pattern and the degree of MMP-7 expression in lung tissues were also similar in both IPF and COP, whereas MMP-2 level was higher in COP and MMP-9 level was higher in IPF.


CONCLUSIONS
MMP-7 seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of not only IPF but also COP; therefore, it may not be the key factor determining the prognosis or reversibility of IIPs.
Huh
Jin Won
JW
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, 388-1, Poongnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Dong Soon
DS
Oh
Yeon-Mok
YM
Shim
Tae Sun
TS
Lim
Chae Man
CM
Lee
Sang Do
SD
Koh
Yunsuck
Y
Kim
Woo Sung
WS
Kim
Won Dong
WD
Kim
Kyu Rae
KR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D020783:Matrix Metalloproteinase 7