Relationship of serum transforming growth factor-β,matrix metalloproteinases-1 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 with the severity of liver fibrosis

Objective:To investigate the relationship of serum transforming growth factor-β,matrix metalloproteinases-1 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 with the severity of liver fibrosis.Methods:A total of 80 patients with HBV related liver fibrosis and early fibrosis were enrolled from one hospital.Serum fibrosis markers including hyaluronic acid(HA),IV collagen(IV-C),aminoterminal propeptide of type Ⅲ procollagen(PⅢP),laminin(LN),matrix metalloproteinases-1(MMP-1)and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP)-1 and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) Levels were determined.liver fibrosis were assessed according to a modified Scheuer and Chevallier'sscoring system.Results:In the patients of different stages of liver fibrosis,serum TGF-β,TIMP-1 and TIMP-1/MMP-1 were different(P0.01) and serum MMP-1 was not remarkably different.Serum TGF-β(r=0.745,P0.01),TIMP-l(r=0.623,P0.01) and TIMP-1/MMP-l(r=0.336,P0.01) were correlated positively with the degree of hepatic fibrosis,whereas serum MMP-1(r=-0.465,P0.01) was correlated negatively.In The patients without remarkably increasing hepatic fibrosis degree,serum TGF-β,TIMP-1/MMP-1 and TIMP-1 were lower and had not increased.Conclusion:Serum TGF-β,TIMP-1 and TIMP-1/MMP-1 can be used as indices of evaluating hepatic fibrosis degree and growth.