Objectives: To obtain the fusion protein of MMP-1 and the rabbit-anti-human matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1) polyclonal antibody, and to detect the serum MMP-1 in patients by this polyclonal antibody.
Methods: The fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography. Two rabbits were immunized with the purified fusion protein, and the immune sera of rabbits were collected. Antibodies (IgG) obtained from the immune sera were purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, and the indirect sandwich enzyme immunoassay was used to detect the serum MMP-1 in 24 samples of patients with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis and in 12 normal sera as controls.
Results: The purified MMP-1 fusion protein was successfully obtained; the purified specific polyclonal antibodies of rabbit-anti-human MMP-1 were also obtained from the immune sera of the rabbits, and could respond to human MMP-1. Compared with the normal controls, the OD value of serum MMP-1 significantly increased in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The rabbit-anti-human MMP-1 polyclonal antibody may be used in the diagnosis of initial stage of hepatic fibrosis.