Abstract:Objective To study the relationships of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) expression in peripheral blood of the patients with coronary heart disease with plaque characteristics and content of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Methods In this study, 69 patients diagnosed as stable angina pectoris (SAP) and 47 patients diagnosed as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from June 2013 to October 2015 were separately enrolled into the SAP group and the ACS group, 57 cases of healthy volunteers during the same period were enrolled in the control group. Characteristics of coronary atherosclerotic plaque were judged by coronary artery imaging; peripheral blood was collected, EMMPRIN expression and the content of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14 were determined. Results EMMPRIN fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14 of the SAP group and the ACS group were significantly higher than those of the control group, EMMPRIN fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14 of the ACS group were significantly higher than those of the SAP group. The less stable the plaque properties, the higher the EMMPRIN fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14 of the SAP group and the ACS group. EMMPRIN fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells was positively correlated with serum levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-14. Conclusions Up-regulation of EMMPRIN expression in peripheral blood of the patients with coronary heart disease is related to the unstable atherosclerotic plaque and the increase of MMPs content.