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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2008;28:e15.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 in Serum Do Not Reflect the Analytes Circulating in Blood

Klaus Jung

Department of Urology, Research Division, University Hospital Charité, Berlin, Germany

Key Words: matrix metallproteinases • preanalytical impact • sample processing • serum • plasma

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

To the Editor:

It was with great interest that I read the article by Tuomainen et al¹ recently published in this journal on the association of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 (TIMP-1) with cardiovascular diseases. The authors measured both analytes in serum and concluded from their results that serum MMP-8 and the ratio of MMP-8 to TIMP-1 were useful biomarkers with prognostic and diagnostic significances in men with cardiovascular disease, especially in those with prevalent or subclinical arteriosclerosis.¹ Although I am not experienced in this clinical field, I believe it might be meaningful to make the readership of this journal aware of an important issue that was obviously not considered by Tuomainen et al in their study design. It refers to the influence of blood sample processing as essential precondition for the correct determination of circulating MMPs and TIMPs in peripheral blood. The effect of the type of blood sample, either collected as serum with or without clot activator or as plasma with the anticoagulants heparin, citrate, or EDTA, on the measurement of these analytes was discussed in detail both in analytical and clinical journals.^2–9 For example, serum samples are less suitable to measure circulating MMP-9 or TIMP-1 in blood because these components are released from platelets and leukocytes during coagulation or blood collection.^2,8,9 Tuomainen et al used serum samples for their measurements. But no informative details regarding the blood sample collection and handling, either with or without clot activator, were given in the description of the . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Related Article:

Serum or Plasma Samples?: The "Cinderella" Role of Blood Collection Procedures Preanalytical Methodological Issues Influence the Release and Activity of Circulating Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Tissue Inhibitors, Hampering Diagnostic Trueness and Leading to Misinterpretation

Ferdinando Mannello
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2008 28: 611-614. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Mannello Serum or Plasma Samples?: The "Cinderella" Role of Blood Collection Procedures Preanalytical Methodological Issues Influence the Release and Activity of Circulating Matrix Metalloproteinases and Their Tissue Inhibitors, Hampering Diagnostic Trueness and Leading to Misinterpretation Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, April 1, 2008; 28(4): 611 - 614. [Full Text] [PDF]