CORRELATION STUDY BETWEEN SERUM MMP-2, MMP-9, CASPASE-3 AND LIPOPROTEIN(A) LEVELS AND INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS

Yong-kai Huang1, De-qing Han1, *, ZHeng-jun Bao1, Xiao-peng ZHu1, Wen Yuan1

1The Center of Cerebrovasvascular Disease, the Affiliated Zhuzhou Hospital, the Xiangya Medical college of Central South University, Zhuzhou, Hunan 412001, China

 Purpose: To investigate the correlations between serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9), caspase-3, lipoprotein (a) and intracranial aneurysm (IA).

Methods: A total of 92 patients were recruited over a period of 2 years and five months, and randomly assigned to two groups: observation group (58 patients with IA) and control group (34 healthy patients). The observation group consisted of 28 males and 30 females aged 20 to72 years (mean age= 46.7±12.5 years), and control group consisted of 22 males and 12 females aged 22 to 70 years (mean age= 45.2±11.9 years). Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A-1 (apoAI), apolipoprotein B (apoB) and lipoprotein (a) were determined using automated biochemical analyzer. The levels of expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and caspase-3 were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Correlations between serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, caspase-3, lipo- protein (a) and IA were also determined.

Results: There were no significant differences in the serum levels of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, apoAI and apoB between the two groups (p>0.05). However, serum lipoprotein (a) was significantly higher in the observation group than in control group, and was significantly higher in male patients than in female patients in the two groups (p<0.05). The expression levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and caspase-3 were significantly higher in ruptured cerebral aneurysms than in un-ruptured aneurysms (p<0.05). Serum MMP-2, MMP-9, caspase-3, and lipoprotein (a) were positively correlated with IA.

Conclusion: The results obtained in this study have shown that serum MMP-2, MMP-9, caspase-3 and lipoprotein (a) are im- portant cellular mediators in the pathogenesis of IA, and their coordinated regulation constitutes an important strategy for inhibiting the expansion of aneurysm.