Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and collagen in female patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
Methods: Sixty POP patients comprised the POP group (23 cases of grade II prolapse (POP-subgroup 1) and 37 cases of grade III-IV prolapse (POP-subgroup 2)]; another 35 non-POP patients comprised the control group. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the relative mRNA and protein expression of MMP-1, MMP-8, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), and type I and III collagen in the anterior vaginal wall tissues.
Results: The relative mRNA and protein expression of MMP-1 and MMP-8 in the anterior vaginal wall tissues of POP-subgroup 2 was significantly higher than those in POP-subgroup 1 and the control group (P<0.05). The relative mRNA and protein expression of TIMP-1 in POP-subgroup 2 was significantly lower than those in POP-subgroup 1 and the control group (P<0.05). Similarly, the expression of types I and III collagen was significantly lower than those in POP-subgroup 1 and the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Reduced expression of types I and III collagen and TIMP-1 as well as the increased expression of MMP-1 and MMP-8 in the anterior vaginal wall tissues play important roles in the onset of POP.
Keywords: MMP-1; MMP-8; Pelvic organ prolapsed; collagen; tissue inhibitor of MMP-1.
© 2017 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.