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. 2010 Mar 14:10:13.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2466-10-13.

Elevation of sputum matrix metalloproteinase-9 persists up to 6 months after smoking cessation: a research study

Noora Louhelainen  1 , Harri Stark, Witold Mazur, Paula Rytilä, Ratko Djukanovic, Vuokko L Kinnula
Affiliations

Elevation of sputum matrix metalloproteinase-9 persists up to 6 months after smoking cessation: a research study

Noora Louhelainen et al. BMC Pulm Med. .

Abstract

Background: Smoking cessation is the best possible way to prevent the progression of smoking related airway diseases. However, the effect and time scale of smoking cessation on airway inflammation/remodelling are largely unknown. This prospective study evaluated the effects of smoking cessation on induced sputum (IS) neutrophils, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-7, -8, -9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1).

Methods: A total of 61 subjects participated in the study; 17 stopped smoking for 3 months and 9 for 6 months. The proportion of IS neutrophils and the levels of MMPs and TIMP-1 by ELISA were determined at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after cessation.

Results: In the smokers, baseline IS neutrophils, MMPs and TIMP-1 were significantly higher compared to non-smokers. Levels of MMP-7, -8 and TIMP-1 decreased nearly to those of non-smokers but the levels of MMP-9 increased significantly from the baseline of the same subjects at 3 months after cessation (p = 0.009) with no significant decline at 6 months after cessation.

Conclusions: Sputum MMP-9 remained elevated after 6 months of smoking cessation, which may contribute to ongoing lung damage typical of COPD.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The percentage of induced sputum (IS) neutrophils in the smoking cessation group (n = 17, see Table 2) at the onset of smoking cessation (baseline) and at 3 and 6 months after stopping smoking. IS neutrophils were significantly higher in the smoking cessation group at the baseline compared to the non-smokers (p = 0.021). Neutrophils increased significantly from baseline at 3 months after cessation (p = 0.035) and declined to the levels of non-smokers at 6 months after the cessation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The levels of MMP-7 in the smoking cessation group at the baseline and at 3 and 6 months after stopping smoking. The levels of MMP-7 were significantly higher in the smoking cessation group at the baseline compared to the non-smokers (p = 0.014). MMP-7 declined to the levels of non-smokers at 6 months after the cessation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The levels of MMP-8 in the smoking cessation group at the baseline and at 3 and 6 months after stopping smoking. The levels of MMP-8 were significantly higher in the smoking cessation group compared to the non-smokers (p = 0.001). MMP-8 declined to the levels of non-smokers at 6 months after the cessation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The levels of MMP-9 in the smoking cessation group at the baseline and at 3 and 6 months after stopping smoking. The levels of MMP-9 were significantly higher in the smoking cessation group compared to the non-smokers (p = 0.02). MMP-9 levels remained elevated in the smoking cessation group when compared to the levels of non-smokers at 6 months after the cessation (p = 0.017).
Figure 5
Figure 5
The levels of TIMP-1 in the smoking cessation group (n = 17) at the baseline and at 3 and 6 months after stopping smoking. The levels of TIMP-1 were significantly higher in the smoking cessation group compared to the non-smokers (p = 0.006). TIMP-1 declined to the levels of non-smokers at 6 months after the cessation.
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