Synovial Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 Research Articles

Assessment of serum and synovial fluid MMP-3 and MPO as biomarkers for psoriatic arthritis and their relation to disease activity indices.

Research on biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is ongoing. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of serum and synovial fluid matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) as biomarkers for PsA and their relation to disease activity indices. This case-control study involved 156 psoriatic arthritis patients, 50 gonarthrosis patients, and 30 healthy controls. The target parameters were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Serum MMP-3 and MPO levels were elevated in the PsA patients in comparison to the two control groups (p < 0.001) and distinguished PsA from GoA patients and healthy controls with 100% accuracy. Synovial MMP-3 discriminated PsA from GoA patients irrespective of the presence of crystals (AUC = 1.00). PsA patients with crystals in the synovial fluid had elevated synovial MPO (p < 0.001) and were distinguished from PsA patients without crystals with accuracy of 88.50% and from GoA patients with accuracy of 88.30%. Synovial fluid MPO was positively associated with the following indicators of disease activity: VAS (rs = 0.396); DAPSA (rs = 0.365); mCPDAI (rs = 0.323). Synovial MMP-3 showed a weaker positive association with DAPSA (rs = 0.202) and mCPDAI (rs = 0.223). Our results suggest that serum MMP-3 and MPO could serve as biomarkers for PsA. Synovial fluid MMP-3 showed a potential as a biomarker for PsA versus GoA. Synovial MPO could be utilized as a marker for the presence of crystals in PsA patients.

MMP-3 in the peripheral serum as a biomarker of knee osteoarthritis, 40\xa0years after open total knee meniscectomy

BackgroundTo explore potential biomarkers in a meniscectomy-induced knee osteoarthritis model, at forty years after meniscectomy.MethodsWe carried out a forty-year study of 53 patients who, as adolescents, underwent open total meniscectomy and assessed two potential synovial and serum biomarkers, namely glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3). Of the 30 patients available for review, 8 had contralateral knee operations and were excluded.Of the remaining 22 patients, 17 had successful operated knee synovial fluid aspirations and 8 also had successful contralateral control knee aspirations. GAG and MMP3 levels in the synovial fluid and peripheral serum was measured using Alcian blue precipitation and ELISA quantification, respectively. Patients also had their knee radiographs assessed and their radiographic osteoarthritis classified as per the Kellgren-Lawrence and Ahlbӓck systems.ResultsAt forty years after meniscectomy, synovial MMP-3 levels remain increased (p = 0.0132) while GAG levels were reduced (p = 0.0487) when compared to controls and these two levels correlate inversely. Furthermore, levels of synovial MMP-3 significantly correlated (p = 0.0032, r = 0.7734; p = 0.0256, r = 0.5552) and GAG levels significantly inversely correlated (p = 0.0308, r = − 0.6220; p = 0.0135, r = − 0.6024), respectively, with both radiological scoring systems. Interestingly, we found that the levels of serum MMP-3 correlated only with the synovial fluid levels of MMP-3 in the operated knee and not with the non-operated joint (p = 0.0252, r = 0.7706 vs. p = 0.0764, r = 0.6576). Multiple regression analysis for patient’s quality of life based on these biomarkers revealed an almost perfect result with an R2 of 0.9998 and a p value = 0.0087.ConclusionOur results suggest that serum levels of MMP3 could be used as a potential biomarker for knee osteoarthritis, using a simple blood test. Larger cohorts are desirable in order to prove or disprove this finding.

Serum and synovial matrix metalloproteinase-3 as markers of disease activity in early rheumatoid arthritis

Matrix metalloprotein ase-3 (MMP-3) is one of the MMPs produced in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joints. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum and synovial fluid (SF) MMP-3 as markers of disease activity in early RA. Thirty early RA patients together with age-matched and sex-matched 12 primary knee osteoarthritis patients and 12 apparently healthy individuals as control groups were enrolled in this study. MMP-3 was measured in serum and SF samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Assessment of disease activity in RA patients was carried out using disease activity score-28 (DAS-28), and radiographs of the hands, wrists, and forefeet were obtained and evaluated according to Larsen score. As regards mean serum levels of MMP-3, there was a statistically significant elevation in RA patients compared with the control groups (P<0.001). Moreover, the mean SF levels of MMP-3 in RA patients were statistically significantly higher than that in osteoarthritis patients (P<0.001). In RA patients, there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.001) between mean serum and SF levels, being higher in the SF. There was a statistically significant positive correlation (P<0.05) between serum MMP-3 with disease duration, DAS-28, and Larsen score. As regards mean SF MMP-3 levels, there was a high statistically significant positive correlation (P<0.001) with DAS-28 and a statistically significant positive correlation (P<0.05) with Larsen score. Elevated serum and synovial MMP-3 levels reflect disease activity in RA patients; thus, it could be used as a useful marker for disease activity. The cross-sectional design of our study did not allow us to produce conclusions with respect to disease course and prognosis. Thus, we recommend further studies on large numbers of patients and serial measurements of MMP-3 to determine the rate of disease progression.