Biomarkers CC-chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18), intercellular adhesion molecule 1, Krebs von den Lungen-6, surfactant protein (SP)-A, SP-D, matrix metallopeptidase 7, urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, and two novel biomarkers, human epididymis protein-4 (HE4) and prostasin, discriminated patients with IPF vs control subjects.
The KL-6 and MMP-7 protein levels in sputum were inversely correlated with total lung capacity (TLC, % of predicted) in IPF patients (r = -0.73 and r = -0.53 respectively).
Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) has been implicated in interstitial lung disease pathobiology and proposed as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
The 8-OH-DG and matrix metalloproteinase-7 serum levels were significantly increased in the severe OSA group.Moderate-to-severe OSA is highly prevalent in incident IPF and severe OSA is strongly associated with the presence of CVD, particularly IHD.
MMP-7 plasma concentrations were significantly higher in IPF patients compared to healthy controls (14.40 ± 6.55 ng/mL vs 6.03 ± 2.51 ng/mL, P < 0.001).
These results suggest that increased sensitivity of the polymorphic MMP7 promoter to FOXA2 provides one of the genetic bases for the upregulation of MMP7 in IPF.