원저 / 기관지천식 환자의 유도객담내 matrix metalloproteinase - 9 및 tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase - 1 측정

Abstract

Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by inflammatory cell infiltrations, which require extracellular matrix(ECM) breakdown and inflammatory cell migration. Airway remodeling with ECM deposition is another characteristic of asthma and reflect imbalance of collagen homeostasis. Collagen homeostasis is regulated by balance of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Objective We performed this study to evaluate the clinical significance and the role of MMPs and TIMPs in induced sputum of patients with symptomatic asthma. Methods : We measured the concentrations of MMP-9 and its tissue inhibitor, TIMP-1, in induced sputum of 16 symptomatie asthmatics, 6 active smokers, and 5 healthy control subjects. Results : Concentrations of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were greater in patients with asthma than in control subjects. The molar ratio between MMP-9 and TIMP-1 was significantly lower in asthmatics than in control subjects(p<0.05). In asthmatics, MMP-9 concentrations were correlated with the number of total inflammatory cells, neutrophils and eosinophils(Rho0.618, Rho0.545 and Rho0.384, p<0.01, p<0.01 and p0.058, respectively). The concentrations of MMP-9 was negatively correlated with FEV1(Rho-0.467, p<0.05) and positively correlated with the levels of sputum ECP and IL-8(Rho0.595 and Rho0.769, p<0.01 and p(0.01, respectively). Conclusion . MMP-9 may be involved in active inflammatory processes in symptomatic chronic airway disease, and the lower ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in asthmatics suggests that MMP-9/TIMP-1 imbalance may be involved in airway remodeling. (J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol 20: 916-26, 2000)