Objective: To determine the relationship of serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels with the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Methods: Serum levels of HGF and MMP-9 were measured by ELISA in 36 patients with SLE and 30 healthy subjects as controls.
Result: (1)Significantly increased serum level of HGF was found in SLE patients as compared with that in healthy controls (P<0.001), but serum level of MMP-9 in SLE patients decreased (P<0.001). Serum level of HGF was significantly decreased after treatment in SLE patients (P<0.05), but serum level of MMP-9 was increased (P<0.05). (2)Serum level of HGF was markedly higher in patients with active disease (24 cases) than those with inactive disease (P<0.05), but serum level of MMP-9 was lower (P<0.05). (3)Significantly increased serum level of HGF was found in patients with renal damage (16 cases) than those without (P<0.001), but serum level of MMP-9 was lower in patients with renal damage than those without (P<0.005). (4)Serum level of HGF was higher in patients with arthritis (23 cases) than those without (P<0.01), but serum level of MMP-9 had no significant difference in two groups (P>0.05). (5)The area of ROC curve was 0.707 and the sensitivity was 66.7% if serum level of HGF was served as diagnostic standard. The area of ROC curve was 0.984 and the sensitivity was 97.2% if serum level of MMP-9 was served as diagnostic standard. The sensitivity was 66.7% (24/36) if the two markers were examined simultaneously.
Conclusion: The data suggest that HGF and MMP-9 could be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, and serum levels of HGF and MMP-9 be used as markers to monitor disease activity, renal damage, disease progression and amelioration in SLE.