| Objective: To detect the locations of EMMPRIN and MMP-2 in fetal membranes;To study the expressions of EMMPRIN and EMMPRIN in fetal membranes of normal pregnancy , and to investigate the correlation between EMMPRIN and MMP-2, and evaluate their functions in the pathogenesis of premature rupture of fetal membranes.Methods: The amniochorion (fetal membranes) samples were collected from 32 nulliparous women: 12 cases of term premature rupture of membranes (tPROM), 10 cases of preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) and 10 cases of term intact membranes as controls. The caesarean sections were operated on all the patients before the urinary constriction in the Obstetrics of the Second Hospital of HeBei Medical University from September 2006 to July 2007. We excluded women with other pregnancy complication, clinical infections and/or undergoing antibiotic treatment. (1) The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to assay the mRNA levels of EMMPRIN and MMP-2 in fetal membrane samples in order to show whether there are differences among their concentrations of each group, and in order to study the relationship between EMMPRIN mRNA and MMP-2 mRNA in every group; (2) The protein levels of EMMPRIN and MMP-2 in fetal membranes were documented with s-p immunohistochemistry, and were compared among the three groups, respectively. Their correlation in every group was studied also. (3) The hematoryline and eosin (HE) staining was used to divide all fetal membranes samples into two groups: with chorioamnionitis and without chorioamnionitis, and the protein level of EMMPRIN was compared between them. Results were analyzed with use of F test,q test,t test,and linear correlation; For these analyses, P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:1 EMMPRIN and MMP-2, not only their mRNA, but also their protein, were expressed in all of the three groups.2 The localization of EMMPRIN and MMP-2 proteins: EMMPRIN-positive staining was found in the amniotic epithelial cells and chorionic cytotrophoblast cells, and which all presenced on cell membranes. MMP-2-positive staining was found in the amniotic epithelial cells and chorionic cytotrophoblast cells, and all presenced in cell plasma.3 The mRNA and protein levels of MMP-2: The mRNA level of MMP-2 in control was: [(63.50±9.53)×10-2], significantly lower than tPROM [(80.75±7.02)×10-2](P<0.01) and pPROM[(77.30±6.31)×10-2](P<0.01). The protein level of MMP-2 in controls was: [(20.01±1.83)×10-2], significantly lower than tPROM[(23.33±2.81)×10-2](P<0.01) and pPROM[(22.60±2.99)×10-2](P<0.05). The expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein in tPROM and pPROM has no statistically significant difference (P>0.05).4 The mRNA and protein levels of EMMPRIN: The mRNA level of EMMPRIN in controls was:[(118.76±10.88)×10-2], significantly lower than tPROM[(135.00±9.27)×10-2](P<0.01) and pPROM [(128.50±9.49)×10-2](P<0.05); The protein level of EMMPRIN in controls was:[(24.40±3.6)×10-2], significantly lower than tPROM[(29.92±3. 23)×10-2](P<0.01) and pPROM [(27.30±2.36)×10-2] (P<0.05). The expression of EMMPRIN mRNA and protein in tPROM and pPROM has no statistically significant difference (P>0.05).5 The relationship between EMMPRIN mRNA and MMP-2 mRNA: EMMPRIN mRNA and MMP-2 mRNA was positively correlated in term and preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (r=0.639, P <0.05; r=0.645, P <0.05), whereas no significant differences between them in control group(r=0.178, P>0.05).6 The relationship between the EMMPRIN protein and MMP-2 protein: EMMPRIN protein and MMP-2 protein was positively correlated in term and preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (r=0.585, P <0.05; r=0.681, P <0.05), whereas no significant differences between them in control group (r=0.268, P>0.05).7 The levels of EMMPRIN protein in the group with chorioamnionitis was [(29.69±2.40)×10-2], significantly higher than that of the group without chorioamnionitis [(26.00±3.74)×10-2] (P<0.01).Conclusion:1 EMMPRIN and MMP-2 expressed in all of the three groups, and EMMPRIN appeared mainly on cell membranes of the amniotic epithelial cells and chorionic cytotrophoblast cells, and MMP-2 localized in cell plasma of the same cells.2 EMMPRIN may regulate MMPs by altering its level of glycosylation during normal pregnancy, and which may be helpful for pregnancy.3 In premature rupture of membranes, EMMPRIN may have changed in transcriptional level, influenced by one or several factors, such as inflammation and so on, and it may participate in the pathogenesis of premature rupture of fetal membranes by stimulating MMP-2. |
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