Transcriptional expression profiles of the main proteinases and their regulators in coronary artery ectasia patients’ mononuclear cells

Objective Proteolytic enzymes might contribute to coronary artery ectasia (CAE) through the destruction of extracellular matrix (ECM) vessel components. This study aimed to find out if peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) served as a source of those proteinases and their regulators.Method In this study, transcriptional expression profiles of the main proteinases and their regulators were detected in the PBMCs of CAE patients as follows: (1) matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13; (2) the serine proteinases elastase: cathepsin G and proteinases 3; (3) the cysteine proteinases: cathepsin L and cathepsin S; (4) the main endogenous inhibitors for the above proteinases: tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) 1 and 2, α 1-antitrypsin (α 1-PI) and α 2-macroglobulin (A2M); (5) twelve cytokines that could regulate the above proteinases.Result The characteristic changes in CAE were: (1) MMP1 and MMP9 increased while the serine and cysteine families did not change; (2) the four pro...