Abstract
Objective: To determine whether alterations in the secretion and regulation of matrix metalloproteinases
(MMPs) and their inhibitors are present in uterine endometrial cells from endometriosis
patients.
Study Design: In an in vitro study, uterine endometrial cells from 19 regularly cycling women
with and 32 without endometriosis were treated with diethyl stilbestrol, promegestone
(R5020), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α). Culture supernatants
were assayed for MMPs 1, 2, 3, and 9, and for tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMP-1 and
TIMP-2) by ELISA.
Results: MMP-3 was secreted in high concentrations, moderate concentrations were seen for
MMP-1 and MMP-2, and very low concentrations for MMP-9. Substantially more TIMP-1
than TIMP-2 was secreted. MMP-1 and MMP-3 were uniformly attenuated by R5020, while
MMP-2 was not influenced by hormone treatment. MMP-3 was upregulated by TNF-α in all
samples while IL-1 only increased secretion in cells from endometriosis patients.
Conclusion: The upregulation of MMP-3 by IL-1 may contribute to an increased invasiveness of
uterine endometrial fragments in endometriosis patients.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 2,
2000
Received in revised form:
March 7,
2000
Received:
December 13,
1999
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
