1. Circulating tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-4 (TIMP-4) in systemic sclerosis patients with elevated pulmonary arterial pressure.
- Author
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Elias GJ, Ioannis M, Theodora P, Dimitrios PP, Despoina P, Kostantinos V, Charalampos K, Vassilios V, and Petros SP
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Male, Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 blood, Middle Aged, Pulmonary Fibrosis blood, Pulmonary Fibrosis physiopathology, Scleroderma, Systemic physiopathology, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases physiology, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-4, Pulmonary Artery physiopathology, Scleroderma, Systemic blood, Systole, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases blood
- Abstract
Decreased levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) or excess levels of their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) may contribute to dysregulation of extracellular matrix turnover in systemic sclerosis (SSc). In a cross-sectional study of 106 SSc patients, we measured serum levels of TIMP-4 which is preferentially expressed in cardiovascular structures and searched for correlations with simultaneously performed echocardiography measurements of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), myocardial performance, and pulmonary function tests. TIMP-4, but not MMP-9, levels were significantly raised in patients with SSc than controls. However, in the subgroup of patients with PASP measurements lower to 40 mmHg (n = 69), TIMP-4 levels were comparable to controls irrespective of the presence of diffuse or limited skin involvement, or lung fibrosis. Individual PASP measurements suggestive of pulmonary hypertension were associated with increased TIMP-4 serum levels (P = .03), independently of age, extent of skin sclerosis, or lung fibrosis, suggesting a cardiopulmonary vasculature-specific role of TIMP-4 activation in SSc.
- Published
- 2008
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