Background Matrix metalloproteinase-1 （MMP-1） plays an important role in atherosclerosis. This study was to examine expression of MMP-1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMCs） of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE）, and to explore its relationship with atherosclerosis in SLE. Methods Fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） was used to examine the expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs in 80 SLE patients, including 39 prone to atherosclerosis （Group A） and 41 unprone to atherosclerosis （Group B）. Meanwhile, 30 patients who were free of cardiovascular diseases and 30 healthy individuals were selected as disease and normal control group （Groups C and D）. The changes of MMP-1 gene expression were analyzed by differences of cycle threshold （ACt）, with the following formula： ACt = Cttarget gene - Ctreference gene. Results The expression level of MMP-1 mRNA in Group A was significantly higher than that of group B （ACt=8.64±2.43 vs ACt=12.09±2.26, t=6.588, P 〈0.01）. The expression level of MMP-1 mRNA of SLE patients was significantly higher than that of Group C （ACt=10.41±2.90 vs ACt=12.29±2.51, t=3.135, P 〈0.01） and Group D （ACt=10.41±2.90 vs ACt=12.48±1.69, t=3.675, P 〈0.01）. Conclusions In comparison to disease and control group, expression of MMP-1 mRNA in PBMCs of SLE patients was significantly elevated, and significant difference of MMP-1 mRNA expression was also found between SLE patients prone and unprone to atherosclerosis, indicating that expression of MMP-1 mRNA may be correlated with the pathogenesis and activity of atherosclerosis in SLE.
目的探讨原发性胆汁性肝硬化（PBC）患者外周血单个核细胞（PBMCs）中肿瘤坏死因子受体（GITR）mRNA表达及其与疾病发病机制、疾病活动性的关系。方法采用反转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（FQ—RT—PCR）的方法，在Light Cycler Real time PCR检测仪上检测78例PBC患者（活动期44例、缓解期34例）、肝癌患者30例（疾病对照组）、健康体检者30名（健康对照组）PBMCs中GITR mRNA的表达水平和含量。以△Ct=Ct（待测基因）-Ct（内参基因）来比较基因表达水平的高低。结果活动期PBC患者GITR mRNA表达水平（△Ct=10．5±2．8）明显低于缓解期PBC患者（△Ct=7．2±2．3，P〈0．01）；活动期PBC患者GITRmRNA表达水平（△Ct=10．5±2．8）明显低于健康对雕组（△Ct=7．4±1．1）与肝癌组（△Ct=5．9±1．3，P〈0．01）；缓解期PBC患者GITR mRNA表达水平与健康对照组差异无统计学意义（P〉O．05）；肝癌患者GITR mRNA表达水平明显高于健康对照组及PBC患者（P〈0．01）。结论GITR的表达与PBC的发生发展存在一定关联性，可能参与了PBC的发病过程并与疾病的活动性有关。
