Detection of Serum HGF and MMP-9 and Its Clinical Significance in Pat ients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objectives To explore the relationship between serum leve ls of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and study the mechan isms of these two factors in the pathogenesis of SLE. Methods The serum levels of HGF and MMP-9 were measured by ELISA. The growth curve of normal ECV304 cell line was obtained, and the action concentration of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor (rhHGF) was determined. MMP-9 expression level in cells was detec ted by flow cytometric analysis. Results The serum level of HGF increased sign ificantly in SLE patients as compared with that in healthy controls (P 0.05). The area of ROC curve was 0.707 and the sensitivity was 66 .7% when using the serum level of HGF as diagnostic standard. The area under ROC curve was 0.984 and the sensitivity was 97.2% when using the serum level of MMP-9 as diagnostic standard. The sensitivity was 66.7% (24/36) when two markers (H GF and MMP-9) were examined simultaneously. Additionally, the action concentrati on of rhHGF was 8 ng/mL, and the expression level of MMP-9 was 39.74% in normal ECV304 cells and increased to 40.32% after rhHGF stimulation. Conclusions It i s suggested that HGF and MMP-9 may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, and s erum levels of HGF and MMP-9 might be used as markers for monitoring the disease activity, renal damage, disease progression and improvement in SLE. The sensiti vity might be higher when serum level of MMP-9 is used as diagnostic standard, a nd rhHGF can enhance MMP-9 expression in ECV304 cell line.