The Expression Of Mt1-MMP In The Epiretinal Membranes

Purpose:1. To investigate the expression of membrane type-1matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in the epiretinal membranes(ERM) of different diseases.2. To observe the expression and distribution of MT1-MMP in the endothelial cells in the ERM.Materials and methods:1. ERMs and relative clinical data were collected from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR), proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR) and idiopathic epiretinal macular membrane(IERMM).2. The ERM specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry to determine MT1-MMP expression and the integrated ocular density(IOD) of each specimen was calculated by Image Pro Plus6.0.3. The distribution of MT1-MMP in the ERM was observed through immunofluoresence double-staining technique with CD34marking endothelial cells.Results:1. We obtained33ERM specimens, of which22were from PDR patients and11from non-PDR patients(PVR7and IERMM4).2. In sum, MT1-MMP was expressed in77.3%(17/22) ERM specimens from PDR patients and18.2%(2/11) from non-PDR ones (p=0.002). The average IODs of MT1-MMP expression in PDR group and non-PDR group were5767.36±2505.03and1728.73±717.32respectively(p=0.000).3. MT1-MMP and CD34were co-localized on the membrane of endothelial cells in the ERM from PDR patients while they both were negative in the non-PDR ones. Conclusion:1. MT1-MMP is significantly highly expressed in the ERMs of PDR patients and may contribute to the ERM formation of PDR.2. The ERMs from PDR patients contain more vascular components compared with non-PDR ones. MT1-MMP is expressed on the membranes of endothelial cells in the ERMs from PDR patients and may play a certain role in the angiogenesis of PDR.