PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Marco Gattorno AU - Silvia Vignola AU - Fernanda Falcini AU - Federica Sabatini AU - Antonella Buoncompagni AU - Gabriele Simonini AU - Paolo Picco AU - Vito Pistoia TI - Serum and synovial fluid concentrations of matrix metalloproteinases 3 and its tissue inhibitor 1 in juvenile idiopathic arthritides. DP - 2002 Apr 01 TA - The Journal of Rheumatology PG - 826--831 VI - 29 IP - 4 4099 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/4/826.short 4100 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/29/4/826.full SO - J Rheumatol2002 Apr 01; 29 AB - OBJECTIVE: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are a large family of proteolytic enzymes involved in the remodeling of extracellular matrix during tissue resorption in idiopathic arthritides. We investigated serum and synovial fluid (SF) concentrations of MMP-3 and its tissue inhibitor (TIMP-1) in juvenile idiopathic arthritides (JIA). METHODS: Sera from 45 patients with active, 15 patients with inactive JIA, and 15 healthy controls were evaluated by ELISA for MMP-3 (stromelysin-1), TIMP-1, and soluble p75 tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR). Paired SF concentrations were evaluated in 19 patients with JIA. RESULTS: MMP-3 serum concentrations were significantly higher in patients with active poly- and oligoarticular JIA versus inactive patients (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively) and healthy controls (p < 0.001 for both). Serum MMP-3, but not TIMP-1, concentration displayed a variable degree of correlation with clinical and laboratory variables of disease activity and with p75 sTNFR concentrations (r = 0.37, p = 0.005). SF MMP-3 concentrations were 30-300 times higher than those found in paired sera (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon rank test). A clear inversion of MMP-3/TIMP-1 ratio was observed when sera (median 0.31. range 0.02-1.5) were compared with the corresponding SF samples (5.3, range 4.9-5.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: MMP-3 (stromelysin-1) is clearly overexpressed in SF of patients with JIA. An inadequate counter-expression of TIMP-1 may represent a crucial event for the development and perpetuation of tissue damage.