Measurement And Clinical Significance Of Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) And Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) Level In Serum And Synovial Fluid Of The Knees

Objective To study the relationship between the matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) level in serum and synovial fluid and the degree of articular cartilage injury and synovitis and to research the mechanism in osteoarthritis(OA).Methods 67 patients with knee osteoarthritis(OA group), 77 patients with knee other diseases( non-OA group)and 158 normal people(normal group) were studied. Serum and synovial fluid levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 was measured by enzyme linked immunoassay. The degree of cartilage injury was assessed with Outerbridge score system and the degree of synovitis with Ayral score system under arthroscopy. The data were analyzed by t-test or nonparametric test, analysis of variance, Pearson or Spearman correlation.Results Serum and synovial fluid levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 and the rate of MMP-3/TIMP-1 in OA were significantly higher than that in non-OA and that in normal group, but the TIMP-1 level in serum in non-OA was significantly lower than that in normal group(P<0.01). The MMP-3 and TIMP-1 level in serum in OA correlated positively with cartilage injury scores(r=0.44,0.36 respectively) and synovitis scores(r=0.37,0.30 respectively )(P<0.01). The MMP-3 and TIMP-1 level in synovial fluid in OA correlated positively with cartilage injury scores(r=0.52,0.34 respectively) and synovitis scores(r=0.46,0.31 respectively)(P<0.01). The MMP-3 and TIMP-1 level in synovial fluid respectively correlated that in serum in OA(r=0.44,0.43 respectively)(P<0.01).Conclusion The MMP-3 and TIMP-1 levels in serum and synovial fluid of the knees can...