ELEVATED PLASMA STROMELYSIN LEVELS IN ARTHRITIS

Objective. To determine whether plasma concentrations of stromelysin-1 and gelatinase A are increased in patients with various forms of arth ritis. Methods. A sensitive and specific sandwich enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), which employs a murine monoclonal antibody and a rabbit polyclonal antibody to human stromelysin-1, was used to measu re plasma stromelysin-1 in 53 healthy subjects, 113 patients with vari ous forms of arthritis and connective tissue diseases, and 65 patients with cancer. Gelatinase A was also measured in these patients using s pecific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to gelatinase A in an ELI SA. Results. The plasma concentration of stromelysin-1 CX I SEM was si gnificantly increased (p < 0.001) in patients with rheumatoid arthriti s (RA) (187 +/- 14 ng/ml) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (258 +/- 35 ng/ml) as compared to both healthy control subjects (50 +/- 4 n g/ml) or patients with cancer (61 +/- 20 ng/ml). Plasma stromelysin-1 was also significantly increased in smaller groups of men with osteoar thritis (OA) and gout. In contrast, plasma concentrations of gelatinas e A were not significantly increased in patients with RA, OA or gout, In healthy subjects, the concentration of stromelysin-1 was significan tly higher in men than women, No correlation was noted between plasma stromelysin-1 levels and age. Conclusion. The detection of elevated pl asma levels of stromelysin-1 in patients with RA is consistent with in creased stromelysin-1 concentrations in inflamed synovial tissues in t his disease. The origin of increased plasma stromelysin-1 in SLE is sp eculative. Measurement of plasma stromelysin-1 may be useful in the di agnosis and management of patients with various forms of arthritis.