Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 expression in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.
OBJECTIVE
Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) are well-known inflammatory biomarkers, with a diagnostic potential for various diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential diagnostic applications of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 concentrations in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).


METHODS
A total of 66 male FMF patients and 40 age-matched healthy subjects were included in this research. TIMP-1 and MMP-9 levels with conventional inflammation markers were determined. Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between the characteristics of patients and the laboratory data.


RESULTS
In patients with FMF, serum MMP-9 levels and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios were found to be significantly elevated in both acute episode and asymptomatic periods (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001, respectively). There was no significant difference between TIMP-1 levels. A significant negative correlation between patients' current age and TIMP-1 level in patients with acute episodes was detected (p=0.0008, r=-0.52). Moreover, a moderate negative correlation was noticed between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and TIMP-1 level in patients with acute episodes (p=0.01, r=-0.39). Additionally, a moderate negative correlation was found between the duration of colchicine use and MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels during the attack period (p=0.04, r=-0.36 and p=0.02, r=-0.39, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrate that a significant MMP-9/TIMP-1 imbalance exists in patients with FMF, which reflects an ongoing inflammation in both FMF periods. Thus, the increased MMP-9 levels observed in FMF patients could rationalize therapeutic targeting to MMPs.
Department of Internal Medicine, GATA Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. alpaslantanoglu@yahoo.com.
Mustafa
M
Dinç
Alpaslan
A
Tanoğlu
Yusuf
Y
Yazgan
Yavuz
Y
Beyazıt
Kemal
K
Öncü
Yalçın
Y
Önem
Serdar
S
Hıra
Mustafa
M
Kaplan
İrfan
İ
Küçük
Yusuf Serdar
YS
Sakın
Levent
L
Demirtürk
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D050257:Tubulin Modulators; C579270:MMP9 protein, human; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; D003078:Colchicine