Serum concentrations of A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) mRNA as a promising novel marker for the detection of pulmonary sarcoidosis.

This prospective study investigated the potential role of serum A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) mRNA in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis from other diseases with similar clinical presentations, such as tuberculosis (TB). Serum samples were collected from patients with sarcoidosis, and compared with those from patients with TB and healthy control subjects. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the concentration of ADAM9 mRNA relative to the internal control, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. A total of 100 patients with sarcoidosis were compared with 50 patients with TB and 50 healthy control subjects. The serum concentration of ADAM9 mRNA in patients with sarcoidosis was significantly lower than that in healthy control subjects and patients with TB. The serum concentration of ADAM9 mRNA in patients with TB was significantly higher than that in healthy control subjects. These data suggest that serum ADAM9 mRNA might be a potential biomarker for the differential diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis.