[Association of matrix metalloproteinase-3 serum level and the promoter 5A/6A polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) serum level and the promoter 5A/6A polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (ACI) in a Chinese Han population.

METHODS

Two hundred and fifteen patients with acute ACI from the Department of Neurology of Taizhou Hospital and 226 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum MMP-3 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the common 5A/6A functional promoter polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene.

RESULTS

The genotype distribution of the MMP-3 promoter 5A/6A polymorphism between the ACI patients group and the control group was significantly different (chi (2)= 9.389, P= 0.002). The frequencies of the 5A allele were 14.2% and 7.7% in the ACI patients group and the control group respectively (chi (2)= 9.430, P= 0.002). Serum level of MMP-3 in the ACI patients group was significantly higher than that in the control group (t= 24.867, P= 0.000). Among the ACI patients group, serum MMP-3 levels also had significant difference between the 5A/6A+ 5A/5A and the 6A/6A genotype (t= 2.057, P= 0.041).

CONCLUSION

The present findings suggest that serum level of MMP-3 obviously increased within 48 hours of ischemic stroke and the genetic polymorphism of 5A/6A in the MMP-3 promoter is associated with ACI and MMP-3 expression in the Chinese Han population.