Research article
Active synovial matrix metalloproteinase-2 is associated with radiographic erosions in patients with early synovitis
1 National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
2 University of Pennsylvania and Veterans Affairs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Arthritis Res 2000, 2:145-153 doi:10.1186/ar79
Published: 9 February 2000Abstract
Serum and synovial tissue expression of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 and their molecular regulators, MMP-14 and TIMP-2 was examined in 28 patients with inflammatory early synovitis and 4 healthy volunteers and correlated with the presence of erosions in the patients. Immunohistological staining of MMP-2, MMP-14 and TIMP-2 localized to corresponding areas in the synovial lining layer and was almost absent in normal synovium. Patients with radiographic erosions had significantly higher levels of active MMP-2 than patients with no erosions, suggesting that activated MMP-2 levels in synovial tissue may be a marker for a more aggressive synovial lesion.