Plasma Glycosaminoglycan Profiles in Systemic Sclerosis: Associations with MMP-3, MMP-10, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TGF-Beta

Table 1

The distribution pattern of plasma glycosaminoglycans, plasma matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-3 and MMP-10), and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2) as well as circulating cytokines (TGF-β) in the healthy controls and systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.

Parameter	Control group ()	Patients with SSc ()
Total GAGs (hexuronic acids, mg/L)		^a
TGF-β (ng/mL)	14.16 (11.50–15.40)	20.64 (14.86–28.49)^b
MMP-3 (ng/mL)	7.31 (5.86–12.04)	2.82 (2.20–5.42)^a
MMP-10 (pg/mL)	504.35 (330.66–623.06)	662.29 (418.27–723.66)
TIMP-1 (ng/mL)		^a
TIMP-2 (ng/mL)		^a
MMP-3/TIMP-1	0.053 (0.040–0.088)	0.008 (0.005–0.015)^a
MMP-3/TIMP-2	0.105 (0.085–0.180)	0.022 (0.015–0.042)^a
MMP-10/TIMP-1	0.004 (0.003–0.005)	0.002 (0.001–0.002)^a
MMP-10/TIMP-2	0.008 (0.005–0.010)	0.004 (0.003–0.005)^a

GAGs: glycosaminoglycans; MMP: matrix metalloproteinase; TIMP: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase; TGF-β: transforming growth factor beta. Results are expressed as medians (quartile 1–quartile 3)..^•Results are expressed as . ^a compared to the control group. ^b compared to the control group.