Rheumatology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Decreased Serum Levels of Macrophage Derived Cytokine and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 are associated with Disease Activity in the Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Hamada S Ahmad, Gamal Othman and Sherief E Farrag

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess serum concentration of macrophage derived cytokine (MDC) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in patients with active and inactive SLE and in healthy volunteers.

Subjects and Methods: The study included 40 patients with SLE and 40 healthy control. The serum level of MDC and MMP-9 were evaluated and compared between the patients and the controls. The association of the MDC and MMP-9 with disease activity, renal involvement, drug intake were also evaluated.

Results: SLE patients had significantly lower MDC and lower MMP-9 than control (p<0.001). SLE patients who had nephritis had significantly lower MDC and lower MMP-9 than patients without nephritis (p=0.003, p=0.004 respectively). The lupus patients with +ve anti-dsDNA had significantly lower MMP-9 and MDC in their serum than patients with –ve anti-dsDNA (p=0.032, p=0.024 respectively). MDC and MMP-9 were inversely correlated with SLEDAI (p=0.008, p-0.003 respectively). No significant association was found between MDC and MMP- with disease duration or current drug intake.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that MDC and MMP-9 were involved in SLE pathogenesis, and MDC could be a marker for active SLE. Our findings indicated that MDC and MMP-9 seemed to be markers of renal involvement.