Elevated Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 Associates With Sputum Culture Positivity in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Current methods for tuberculosis treatment monitoring are suboptimal. We evaluated plasma matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and procollagen III N-terminal propeptide concentrations before and during tuberculosis treatment as biomarkers. Plasma MMP-1, MMP-8, and MMP-10 concentrations significantly decreased during treatment. Plasma MMP-8 was increased in sputum Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive relative to culture-negative participants, before (median, 4993 pg/mL [interquartile range, 2542-9188] vs 698 [218-4060] pg/mL, respectively; P = .004) and after (3650 [1214-3888] vs 720 [551-1321] pg/mL; P = .008) 6 months of tuberculosis treatment. Consequently, plasma MMP-8 is a potential biomarker to enhance tuberculosis treatment monitoring and screen for possible culture positivity. In this cohort study, plasma matrix metalloproteinase 8 was increased in sputum culture-positive participants at tuberculosis diagnosis and after 6 months of tuberculosis treatment, demonstrating its potential as a biomarker of sputum culture positivity, to enhance tuberculosis treatment monitoring.