Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with lnterstitial Lung Disease

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder that most commonly affects the joints, causing progressive, symmetric, erosive destruction of cartilage and bone, which is usually associated with autoantibody production. Although joint disease is the main presentation, there are a number of extra-articular manifestations including subcutaneous nodule formation, vasculitis, inflammatory eye disease and lung disease. Of these manifestations, lung disease is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Among the most significant factors contributing to this excess mortality is interstitial lung disease (ILD), the most common subtype of lung involvement in RA. In fact, the risk of death among individuals with clinically evident RA-associated ILD is 3 times higher than that among RA patients without ILD. Recent studies have further demonstrated that even though overall mortality rates in RA are declining, the rate of death due to RA-ILD has increased significantly. The Matrix MetalloProteinases (MMPs) are thought to be key enzymes involved in remodeling of the Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) in physiological and pathological situations (e.g. arthritis, cancer, atherosclerosis, and periodontal disease). MMP-7 was originally found to be