ABSTRACT
The action mechanism of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) in the genesis, development and degeneration of haemangioma was in-vestigated by detecting their expression in the tissue of haemangioma in different phases by using the immunohistochemistry. Fifty paraffin-embedded specimens of skin capillary haemangioma were col-lected, which were documented in the Department of Pathology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from 2000 to 2006. All samples were stained by regular HE method, and proliferative cell nuclear anti-gen (PCNA) was tested by immunohistochemical S-P method, The samples were classified according to the Mulliken criteria and the expression pattern of PCNA. Immunohistochemical S-P method was ap-plied to detect the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in proliferative and degenerative phases of cuta-neous capillary haemangioma, and in normal skin tissues. In combination with the detection of the ex-pression of factor Ⅷ-related antigen, it was verified that in haemangioma tissues, the cells expressing MMP-2 and TIMP-2 were vascular endothelial cells. The MMP-2 and TIMP-2 expression was quantita-tively analyzed by image analysis system (HPIAS-1000), and one-way ANOVA(107) and SNK(q) test were done to analyze average absorbance (A) and positive area rate of immunohistochemically positive particles by using SPSS11.5. The results showed: (1) Among 50 samples of haemangioma, there were 26 proliferative haemangiomas, and 24 degenerative haemangiomas, respectively; (2) The expression of MMP-2 was weak in normal vascular endothelial cells, cytoplasm of connective tissues and extracellu-lar matrix around blood vessels. The expression of MMP-2 in proliferative group was significantly higher than in degenerative group and control group (normal skin) (P<0.05), but there was no statisti-cally significant difference between the latter two groups; (3) TIMP-2 was highly expressed in normal tissues, degenerative vascular endothelial cells, cytoplasm of connective tissues and extracellular matrix around blood vessels. The expression level of TIMP-2 in proliferative phase was significantly lower than in degenerative phase (P<0.05), and the expression of TIMP-2 in proliferative phase was signifi-cantly different from that in degenerative phase and normal tissues (P<0.05). It was concluded that in proliferative phase of haemangioma, MMP-2 may promote over-proliferation of endothelial cells of haemangioma, and in degenerative phase, TIMP-2 can inhibit the proliferation of endothelial cells of haemangioma. The two substances play important roles in the genesis, development and degeneration of haemangiomas.
ABSTRACT
Objective To study the expression situation of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the endometrium of women with unexplained infertility and normal endometrium, and to explore the relationship between MMP-9/TIMP-1 expres-sion and unexplained infertility. Methods Immunohistochemieal assay(SP method) was employed to deteet the expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in 20 cases of impaired endometrium(unexplained infertility group,endometrial plantation window phase)and 20 cases of normal endometrium(heahhy control group). Results There were different levels of MMP-9/TIMP-1 expression in kytoplasms of glandular epicytes and stromal cells of all endometrial samples. The expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 was signifi-cantly weaker in unexplained infertility group than that in healthy control group(P＜0.05). Conclusion Low expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in the endometrial plantation window phase may be one of impor-tant factors for unexplained infertility.