Source: Oncogene  |  Posted 9 years ago

Levels of synovial matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in patients with familial Mediterranean fever, Behcet's disease and rheumatoid arthritis are similar, researchers in Turkey have found.

This finding prompts these investigators to suggest the absence of erosions in patients with the first two of these diseases may be explained by the fact MMP-1 is a marker of cytokine-driven inflammation or by the short-lived and transient nature of the arthritis observed in these patients.

Dr S. Pay and colleagues from the Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, examined synovial levels of MMP-1, which is known to break down collagen, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1), its natural antagonist, in patients with various inflammatory disorders.

Twenty of the 85 patients had Behcet's disease, 20 had familial Mediterranean fever, two had rheumatoid arthritis and 19 had osteoarthritis.

Synovial MMP-1 and TIMP-1 levels were measured by two-step sandwich ELISA.

The researchers found significant differences between study patients and controls in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, MMP-1 and TIMP-1 values.

Synovial MMP-1 levels of patients with Behcet's disease and familial Mediterranean fever were no different from those in patients with rheumatoid arthritis but were significantly higher than were those in patients with osteoarthritis.

Moreover, synovial TIMP-1 levels in osteoarthritis patients were significantly higher than were those of patients with the other three diseases, who showed no significant differences in these TIMP-1 levels.