Increased MMP-3 serum levels in rheumatic diseases

[Guest guest]

Ann Rheum Dis 2002 Feb;61(2):161-6

Increased matrix metalloproteinase-3 serum levels in rheumatic diseases:

relationship with synovitis and steroid treatment.

Ribbens C, y Porras M, Franchimont N, Kaiser MJ, Jaspar JM, Damas

P, Houssiau FA, Malaise MG.

Department of Rheumatology, University of Liege, Belgium.

Clio.Ribbens@...

OBJECTIVE: To determine matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) serum levels

in patients with rheumatic diseases and to study the relation between

MMP-3 and C reactive protein (CRP) levels. METHODS: MMP-3 serum levels

were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in (a)

patients with active inflammatory rheumatic diseases: rheumatoid

arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, acute

crystal arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; ( patients with active

inflammatory systemic diseases: cutaneo-articular or renal systemic

lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, and vasculitides; ©

patients with non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases: osteoarthritis and

fibromyalgia; (d) critically ill patients without rheumatic diseases,

representing an acute inflammatory control group; (e) healthy controls.

RESULTS: MMP-3 serum levels were significantly increased in patients

with active RA, psoriatic arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica, whether

treated or not by corticosteroids, and in female patients with acute

crystal arthritis. MMP-3 serum levels were normal in steroid-free

patients with active cutaneo-articular or renal SLE, systemic sclerosis,

and vasculitides but were significantly increased in steroid treated

patients. MMP-3 levels were normal in fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis,

ankylosing spondylitis, and acute inflammatory controls. MMP-3 was

significantly correlated with CRP in RA (r=0.5, p=0.0004) but not in any

of the other disease groups. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-3 serum levels are

increased in inflammatory rheumatic diseases characterised by joint

synovitis, such as RA, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, and

acute crystal arthritis-that is, whether the diseases are acute or

chronic, erosive or not. They are normal in SLE, systemic sclerosis, and

vasculitides as well as in non-rheumatic inflammatory controls, but are

significantly increased by steroids. These data strongly suggest that

serum MMP-3 reflects synovial inflammation.