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Possible association of elevated serum collagen type IV level with skin sclerosis in systemic sclerosis
Author(s) -
Motegi Seiichiro,
Sekiguchi Akiko,
Fujiwara Chisako,
Toki Sayaka,
Ishikawa Osamu
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/1346-8138.13564
Subject(s) - type i collagen , medicine , type iv collagen , fibrosis , scleroderma (fungus) , pathology , collagen disease , dermoepidermal junction , basement membrane , immunohistochemistry , dermis , chemistry , laminin , extracellular matrix , biochemistry , inoculation
Collagen type IV is the primary collagen in the basement membranes around blood vessels and in the dermoepidermal junction in the skin. Perivascular collagen type IV is synthesized by endothelial cells and pericytes, and contributes to the homeostasis and remodeling of blood vessels. It has been well recognized that elevated serum collagen type IV levels are associated with the liver fibrosis. The objective was to examine serum collagen type IV levels and their clinical associations in patients with systemic sclerosis ( SS c), and to examine the expression of collagen type IV in the fibrotic skin in SS c. Serum collagen type IV levels in SS c patients and diffuse cutaneous type SS c patients were significantly higher than those in healthy individuals. Serum collagen type IV levels were positively correlated with modified Rodnan total skin score. Serum collagen type IV levels in early stage (disease duration ≤3 years) diffuse cutaneous SS c patients were significantly elevated. Serum collagen type IV levels in SS c patients with digital ulcers ( DU ) were significantly elevated. In immunohistochemical staining, the expression of collagen type IV around dermal small vessels in the affected skin was reduced compared with those of normal individuals. These results suggest that elevated serum collagen type IV levels may be associated with the skin sclerosis in the early stage of SS c. The measurement of serum collagen type IV levels in SS c patients may be useful as a disease activity marker in skin sclerosis and DU .