Artham S, Verma A, Newsome AS, et al. - Researchers analyzed plasma/serum samples obtained from acute lung injury (ALI) patients, to determine the enzymatic activity of stromelysin1 (matrix metalloprotease-3) in these samples, relative to that taken from healthy controls, given that enzyme activity studies in the blood are anticipated to serve as reliable, non-invasive diagnostic as well as prognostic markers to indicate disease progression in ALI. In several animal models, a correlation was identified between increased stromelysin1 gene expression and ALI incidence, as revealed in gene expression omnibus database analysis. Experts also identified a significant, 3-fold rise in stromelysin1 activity in ALI plasma/serum vs healthy people with no difference evident in stromelysin1 activity between the serum and plasma samples. Overall, this work affords fundamental knowledge about the potential reliability of stromelysin1 activity analysis, integrated with other biomarkers in development, in blood samples for the early identification of ALI.