Clinical association study on the matrix metalloproteinase expression in the serum of patients with connective tissue disease complicated with interstitial lung disease

Abstract

Objectives: This study was implemented to reveal the expression and the clinical correlation of matrix metalloproteinases (MPSs) with connective tissue disease (CTD) complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Patients and methods: This clinical study was conducted with 260 patients (151 males, 109 females; mean age: 47.3±12.5 years; range, 29 to 67 years) between October 2019 and October 2020. Among the subjects, 100 were CTD patients (CTD group), 80 were CTD patients with ILD (CTD-ILD group) and 80 were healthy individuals (control group). The MMP-2, -3, -7, and -9 levels in the serum of the three groups were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Serum levels of MMP-3, -7, and -9 in the CTD-ILD group were higher, while the MMP-2 level was lower than those in the CTD group and the control group. The MMP-7 level in the serum of the CTD-ILD group was positively related to C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and rheumatoid factor and negatively correlated with immunoglobulin G and complement 3. The MMP-7 expression in the serum was positively correlated with forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%), FEV1/forced expiratory volume (FVC), and FVC in CTD-ILD patients. Pearson statistical analysis revealed that there was a significant positive correlation between the MMP-7 expression and the percentage of B cells in the serum of CTD-ILD patients.

Conclusion: Expressions of MMP-3, -7, and -9 are significantly increased in the serum of patients with CTD and related interstitial lung lesions, and the high expression of MMP-7 indicates dynamic lung lesions, which is possible to be used as a possible biomarker for early diagnosis and assessment of disease progression.

* The first two authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Citation:Chen H, Tang J, Liang J, Huang D, Pan C, Liu S, et al. Clinical association study on the matrix metalloproteinase expression in the serum of patients with connective tissue disease complicated with interstitial lung disease. Arch Rheumatol 2023;38(3):367-374.

This study was approved by the committee of Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities Ethics Committee (date: 15.03.2022, no: Z20200163). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

A written informed consent was obtained from each patient.

Idea/concept, control/ supervision, analysis and interpretation, writing the article, references and fundings: H.C., L.T.; Design: J.T., L.T.; Data collection and processing: J.L., D.H., C.P., S.L., X.D.; Literature review, critical review, materials: H.C., J.T., J.L., D.H., C.P., S.L., X.D., L.T.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Project of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (gzzc2019145) and Scientific Research Project of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Health Committee (z20200163).

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.