The Relationship Among The Matrix Metalloproteinase-3,Carotid Artery Plaque And Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease

Objective To explore the relationship between the matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and the stability of carotid artery plaque,to vestigate MMP-3`s prediction role on the attack and relapse of acute ischemic cerebrovascular events.Methods According to the condition of being selected, we selected 100 patients with the first ever acute cerebral infarction as cerebral infarction group and 100 patients with Chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency(CCCI) as CCCI group. Meanwhile, 40 persons without ischemic cerebrovascular disease were selected as normal control group. In 48h after attacked the cerebral infarction or CCCI,all the patients underwent skull CT(or MRI),TCD and carotid ultrasound examination to detect whether there was ischemic focus in brain tissues and the condition of carotid atherosclerotic plaque,and got fasting serum from Cubital vein;All the normal control group underwent the same examnations and got fasting serum from Cubital vein at physical examination. According to the carotid ultrasound examination ,we divided the 100 cerebral infarction patients into three subgroup:unstable plaque group (mixed plaque, soft plaque), stable plaque group (plaque Group) and endometrial coarse group. Respectively,there were 45,35,20 patients in each group.Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels of all the subjects were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(as basal level).Following-up all the subjects for one year.In each group,we compared the basal Serum MMP-3 levels of patients who attacked cerebral ischemic with those who didn`t attack cerebral ischemic during this period of time,and compared the Serum MMP-3 levels of three different subgroup of the cerebral infarction group.Results①5 patients relapsed in the cerebral infarction group, account for 5%,2 patients attacked cerebral ischemic in the CCCI group, account for 2%,and no one attacked cerebral ischemic in the normal control group.②The serum MMP-3 levels of the acute cerebral infarction group(18.576±2.748 ng/ml)were significantly higher than CCCI group(8.546±1.418 ng/ml)(P<0.05), And both were all significantly higher than the normal control group(4.615±1.122 ng/ml);③In each group,the basal Serum MMP-3 levels of patients who attacked cerebral ischemic were significantly higher than those who didn`t attack cerebral ischemic during this period of time(P<0.05).④The serum MMP-3 levels of the unstable plaque group (20.498±1.784 ng/ml)were significantly higher than the stable plaque group(15.457±1.017 ng/ml). And both were all significantly higher than the endometrial coarse group(10.301±1.548 ng/ml)(P<0.05).Conclusions Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) may have something with the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.It may participate the attack and relapse of acute cerebral infarction by affecting the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.MMP-3 may predict the attack and relapse of acute cerebral infarction.