OBJECTIVETo 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).

METHODSSerum 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.

CONCLUSIONThe 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.