Active synovial matrix metalloproteinase-2 is associated with radiographic erosions in patients with early synovitis

Table 3 Immunohistologic and zymographic expression of matrix metalloproteinases in synovial tissues from patients with recent onset ofArthritis

	RA (n = 21)	Non-RA (n = 7)	Normal tissue (n = 4)
Immunohistology
Composite inflammatory index (0-4)	1.5± 0.5	1.7± 0.9	0± 0.1^††
MMP-2	50 ± 30	78 ± 45	0^††
MMP-14	8.4 ± 5^**	3.7 ± 4	0^††
TIMP-2	25 ± 12	39 ± 9^*	0^††
MMP-9	10.9 ± 6	7.4 ± 7	1 ± 0^††
Gelatinolytic activity
Active MMP-2 activity (ng/mg)	2.6 ± 2.7	1.3 ± 1.1	1.3 ± 0.5
Total MMP-2 activity (ng/mg)	13.6 ± 9.6	8.6 ± 3.5	5.7 ± 0.7^†
MMP-9 activity (ng/mg)	18.0 ± 28.9	60.3 ± 136	4.0 ± 0.7

For definition of 'composite index', refer to the Patients and method section. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, versus nonrheumatoid arthritis (ra) patients; ^†P < 0.05, ^‡ P < 0.01, versus normal volunteers. mmp, matrix metalloproteinase; timp, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase.

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