Circulating Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase‐4 (TIMP‐4) in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Elevated Pulmonary Arterial Pressure | Zendy

Gialafos J. Elias | Zendy; Moyssakis Ioannis | Zendy; Psaltopoulou Theodora | Zendy; P. Dimitrios | Zendy; Perea Despoina | Zendy; Vlasis Kostantinos | Zendy; Kostopoulos Charalampos | Zendy; Votteas Vassilios | Zendy; Sfikakis P. Petros | Zendy

Open Access

Circulating Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase‐4 (TIMP‐4) in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Elevated Pulmonary Arterial Pressure

Author(s) -

Gialafos J. Elias,

Moyssakis Ioannis,

Psaltopoulou Theodora,

P. Dimitrios,

Perea Despoina,

Vlasis Kostantinos,

Kostopoulos Charalampos,

Votteas Vassilios,

Sfikakis P. Petros

Publication year - 2008

Publication title -

mediators of inflammation

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 1.37

H-Index - 97

eISSN - 1466-1861

pISSN - 0962-9351

DOI - 10.1155/2008/164134

Subject(s) - medicine , matrix metalloproteinase , fibrosis , tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase , extracellular matrix , cardiology , pulmonary fibrosis , lung , pulmonary hypertension , pulmonary artery , pulmonary function testing , blood pressure , pathology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology

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.

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