Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (9)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Devlieger, R.
Right arrow Articles by C.Riley, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Devlieger, R.
Right arrow Articles by C.Riley, S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 6, No. 5, 479-485, May 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Pregnancy

Matrix metalloproteinases -2 and -9 and their endogenous tissue inhibitors in fetal membrane repair following fetoscopy in a rabbit model

Roland Devlieger1,2, Jan A.Deprest1,2,5, Eduard Gratacós1,2, Robert Pijnenborg3, Rosemary Leask4 and Simon C.Riley4

1 Centre for Surgical Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, Minderbroedersstraat 17, B-3000, Leuven, 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and 3 Laboratory of Experimental Gynaecology, University Hospital `Gasthuisberg' Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium and 4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Centre for Reproductive Biology, University of Edinburgh, 37 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh EH3 9ET, UK

Abstract

The cellular mechanisms underlying fetal membrane repair are poorly understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and the endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) play a key role in the control of turnover of extracellular matrix in fetal membranes at normal parturition and preterm prelabour rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM). The time course of secretion of MMP-2 (72 kDa, gelatinase A) and MMP-9 (92 kDa, gelatinase B) and TIMP into extra-embryonic coelomic, allantoic and amniotic fluids in a rabbit model was examined. Furthermore, to evaluate their role in fetal membrane repair, the changes induced by fetoscopy at mid-gestation (23 days; gestation length is 32 days) were investigated. Zymography showed predominantly secretion of latent MMP-2 at 18, 23 and 30 days of gestation in all gestational compartments. Reverse zymography detected a broad range of TIMP activity with molecular weights of 27–30 kDa (TIMP-1, glycosylated TIMP-3 and TIMP-4), 24 kDa (unglycosylated TIMP-3) and 21 kDa (TIMP-2). Following fetoscopy, both MMP-2 and TIMP increased significantly in amniotic fluid and extra-embryonic coelomic fluid, but not in allantoic fluid, as demonstrated by densitometric analyses. These findings indicate a modulating role for MMP and TIMP in the repair processes following a surgically induced fetal membrane defect.

fetal membranes/fetoscopy/matrix metalloproteinases/rabbit/TIMP

Notes

5 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, U.Z. Leuven Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.