Effect of ulinastatin on expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TGF-β1 in patients with bronchial asthma

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of ulinastatin on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Methods: A total of 120 patients with bronchial asthma were divided into the ulinastatin (n=60) and control groups (n=60) randomly. Patients in the control group received conventional anti-inflammatory symptomatic treatment, and patients in ulinastatin group were treated with ulinastatin for 7 consecutive days. The expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TGF-beta(1) in sputum and serum were measured, blood gas indexes were analyzed, and relief time of clinical symptom were observed. Results: At 7 days post-treatment with ulinastatin, the symptom of asthma were relieved, and the expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TGF-beta(1) in were decreased. Blood gas analysis showed that the blood gas indexes arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and PaO2/fraction of inspiration oxygen (PaO2/FiO(2)) in the ulinastatin group were significantly higher than those in control group. The relief time of clinical symptoms, in the ulinastatin group was earlier, and the total clinical effective rate (93.3%) was significantly higher than that in control group (75.0%) (p<0.05). Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TGF-beta(1) levels were negatively correlated with PaO2, PaO2/FiO(2) and PaCO2. Conclusion: Ulinastatin plays an important role in the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma possibly by improving blood gas indexes, alleviating clinical symptoms and decreasing the levels of MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TGF-beta(1).