ABSTRACT
In order to investigate the role of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis, the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 was immunohistochemically detected in skin lesions of the patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, skin lesions of the patients with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis, and skin tissues of normal subjects. The results showed that the expression of MMP-9 in lesions of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis was significantly lower than that of normal skins (P＜0.05). However, no significant difference in the level of MMP-9 in the limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis and normal skin was found. Meanwhile, the expression of TIMP-1 in lesions of diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis and limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis were significantly higher than that of normal skins (both P＜0.05). It was suggested that the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 might play an important role in the development of systemic sclerosis.
ABSTRACT
To investigate the role of progesterone receptor (PR) expression in malignant melanoma (MM), PR and proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression were immunohistochemistri- tally evaluated in a series of 35 specimens of MM, and the correlation between the immunohisto- chemistrical findings and clinicopathological data was also analyzed. PR expression was detected in 25.7% (9/35) of the patients with MM. No PR expression was observed in nevi. PR expression was inversely correlated with PCNA expression (r=-0.353, P=0.026). PR expression was slightly in- creased in females, subjects aged under 55 y, those with ulceration, non-acral subtype and diagnosis delay longer than 1 y, but the difference was not statistically significant. Selective expression of pro- gesterone receptor in malignant melanoma might be correlated with inhibited tumor growth.
ABSTRACT
In order to investigate the role of Caspase-3 and Bax in the pathogenesis of lichen planus, immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax in skin lesions of the patients with lichen planus and skin tissues of normal subjects. The results showed that positive rate of Caspase-3 and Bax expression in lichen planus were significantly higher than that in normal skins (both P<0.05). Meanwhile, there was a obvious correlation between the increase of Caspase-3 and that of Bax in lichen planus. The expression of Caspase-3 and Bax might play an important role in the development of lichen planus.