Changes of serum matrix metalloproteinases-9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-9 in coal workers' pneumoconiosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the changes and significance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-9 in serum of patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum MMP-9 and TIMP-9 were determined by sandwich ELISA in 188 cases of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (including 53 cases of coal pneumoconiosis, 67 cases of coal-silica pneumoconiosis and 68 cases of silicosis), 57 cases of 0+ miner (group 0+), 64 cases of healthy miner (dust exposed control) and 50 healthy people (healthy control) , and were further evaluated according to stage, complication, and the duration of exposure to dust in CWP group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median of serum MMP-9 in coal pneumoconiosis, coal-silica pneumoconiosis and silicosis were 17.16, 15.14 and 17.50 ng/ml respectively. The levels of serum MMP-9 in silicosis and coal-silica pneumoconiosis were lower than that in dust exposed control and 0+ group (P < 0.05), and there were no differences among 3 groups of CWP. The levels of serum TIMP-9 in coal pneumoconiosis, coal-silica pneumoconiosis and silicosis were (330.00 +/- 108.42), (312.04 +/- 120.09) and (366.81 +/- 135.50) ng/ml respectively, and compared with dust exposed control and 0+ group, it increased in silicosis and coal pneumoconiosis significantly (P < 0.05). The levels of serum TIMP-9 in silicosis were higher significantly than that of coal-silica pneumoconiosis (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in the levels of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-9 in CWP according to CWP stage, complications and the duration of exposure to dust (P > 0.05). There was a positive correlation between age and the concentration of TIMP-9 in silicosis (r = 0.249, P < 0.05). A positive correlation was shown between the levels of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-9 only in dust exposed control (r = 0.294, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The levels of serum MMP-9 and TIMP-9 are associated with the harmful effect to miner resulted from dust. The apparent disturbance of MMP-9 and TIMP-9 might take part in the pathogenesis of CWP. Dynamic observation of its concentration in group 0+ and health miners might contribute to the prevention, early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of CWP.</p>

Value of tumor markers series of hydrothorax in differential diagnosis of pleural effusion / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical value of pleural effusion lung ProGRP, neuron specific enolase (NSE), cytokeratin fragment 19 (CYFRA21-1), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153), carbohydrate antigen 19 - 9 (CA19-9) in differential diagnosis and histological typing of malignant pleural effusion caused by lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All the 171 patients with malignant hydrothorax caused by lung cancer were from coal-mine area of Kailuan. They were divided into the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) group (n = 39), the adenocarcinoma group (n = 99) and the squamous cell carcinoma group (n = 37). The patients with benign pleural effusion served as the controls (n = 30). The diagnostic value of pleural effusion ProGRP, NSE, CYFRA21-1, CEA, CA153 and CA19-9 was compared for each group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Youden index and the accurate rate of pleural effusion ProGRP + NSE (sequence test) were the highest in the diagnosis of malignant hydrothorax caused by SCLC. CEA + CA153 + CA19-9 (sequence test) was the highest in the diagnosis of malignant hydrothorax caused by adenocarcinoma. CYFRA21-1 + CEA + CA153 (on parallel test) were the highest in the diagnosis of malignant hydrothorax caused by squamous cell carcinoma. The Yonden index and the accurate rate were the highest by the single detection of CYFRA21 (0.5514 and 0.6878), and by the combined detection of ProGRP + CYFRA21-1 + CEA (on parallel test) (0.7029 and 0.8878).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The first pleural effusion tumor markers of malignant hydrothorax caused by the SCLC, adenocarcinoma of lung, and lung squamous cell carcinoma are ProGRP, CEA and CYFRA21-1, respectively. The best combinations of pleural effusion tumor marker in diagnosis of malignant hydrothorax caused by the SCLC, adenocarcinoma of lung, lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung cancer are the combined detection of ProGRP + NSE (sequence test), combined detection of CEA + CA153 + CA19-9 (sequence test), the combined detection of CYFRA21-1 + CEA + CA153 (on parallel test) and ProGRP + CYFRA21-1 + CEA (on parallel test), respectively.</p>

Levels and clinic significance of serum soluble Fas and soluble Fas ligand in coal workers' pneumoconiosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes of levels and clinic significance of serum soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble FasL (sFasL) in coal workers' pneumonoconiosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum levels of sFas and sFasL were determined in 52 patients with silicosis, 57 coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, 46 healthy underground coal workers' (the underground control group) and 40 healthy volunteers working on the ground (the ground control group) with a sandwich ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to the underground control and the ground control group, the serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis were significantly higher (P < 0.01). Serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the underground control group were significantly higher than those in the ground control group (P < 0.01); Serum sFas levels in coal workers' pneumonoconiosis was significantly higher than those in the patients with silicosis (P < 0.01). Although the serum sFasL levels was also increased, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). In the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis patients, the serum sFas levels in Phase I patients combined with emphysema and simple Phase II + III patients were significantly higher than those in simple Phase I patients (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the serum sFasL levels among various groups with different parameters of pneumonoconiosis. In the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, serum levels of sFas and sFasL were not significantly altered among different duration of exposure to dusts. There was no correlation between serum levels of sFas and sFasL in the patients with silicosis while there was a slightly positive correlation between sFas and sFasL levels in the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis (r = 0.479, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the patients with silicosis and the coal workers' pneumonoconiosis, the serum levels of sFas and sFasL are abnormal and associated with the development of the pneumonoconiosis. The changes of serum sFas levels may indicate the development and progression of the pneumonoconiosis. The detection of the serum sFas level may be used in the differential diagnosis for the silicosis and the coal worker's pneumonoconiosis.</p>