title: Serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13 in patients with eosinophilic fasciitis.
abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), a member of the collagenase family, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of connective tissue diseases characterized by extracellular matrix remodeling. Since serum MMP-13 levels reflect disease severity of systemic sclerosis and localized scleroderma, we evaluated the clinical significance of serum MMP-13 levels in eosinophilic fasciitis (EF). All the EF patients had serum MMP-13 levels lower than the mean - 2SD of healthy controls. Serum MMP-13 levels were also significantly decreased in EF patients compared with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis, and generalized morphea patients. Although serum MMP-13 levels did not reflect any clinical and serological features of EF, these results indicate that MMP-13 may be involved in the development of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihn
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jinnin
authors.forename: Zenshiro
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 / Q000097:blood*; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000201:enzymology; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000201:enzymology; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000201:enzymology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: C507079:MMP13 protein, human; D053509:Matrix Metalloproteinase 13
keywords: eosinophilic fasciitis; extracellular matrix; fibrosis; matrix metalloproteinase-13; scleroderma