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Background/Aims: -Gelatinae (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2 and 9) has an important role in the pathogenesis of liver ´cirrhosis .(LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (11CC). In this study, we evaluated the relationship of gelatinase to chronic liver disease. Methods: Four groups of subjects were examined; healthy control (10 cases), chronic hepatitis (18 cases), LC (15 cases), and HCC (28 cases). The plasma of each subject was obtained, and the equal quantification of plasma protein was done. The plasma activities of MMP-2 and 9 were measured by zymography. Results: The activities of plasma 11,MP-2 in patients with LC were significantly higher than those in conliuls (p=0.009) and in patients with chronic hepatitis (p=0.011), but not different from those in patients with HCC. The activities of plasma MMP-9 in patients with LC were significantly higher than those in controls, but not different fi vui those in patients with chronic hepatitis or HCC. In patients with LC (regardless of having HCC), the activities of MMP-2 correlated with total bilirubin (r=0.323, p=0.048) and Child-Pugh score (r=0.414, p=0.012). The activities of MMP-2 and 9 were higher in patients with LC (regardless of having HCC) caused by alcohol than caused by HBV (p=0.009 and 0.002 for each one). Conclusions: The plasma activity of MM´IP-2 may be a useful marker for the diagnosis and determination of the severity of LC. The plasma activity of MMP-9 was not useful for HCC, but may be a marker for alcoholic LC. Further study is needed to determine why the plasma activity of gelatinase was higher in patients with LC caused by alcohol than by HBV.(Korean J Hepatol 2003;9:222-230)
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