title: Immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (MMP-1 and MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) in ruptured and non-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent evidence suggests that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) are crucial for trophoblast implantation in normal pregnancy. To evaluate the expression of MMP-1, MMP2, and the tissue inhibitor of MMP-2 (TIMP-2) along the invasive pathway of trophoblast in ruptured and non-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies, we performed a retrospective immunohistochemical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 15 tissue specimens of patients with ruptured (N = 7) and non-ruptured (N = 8) first trimester tubal ectopic pregnancies who underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy, immunohistochemical staining against MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 was performed. Serial paraffin sections were photographed and digitized for a computerized quantitative image analysis. Mean percentages of positive stained areas by MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 antibodies in the extravillous trophoblast were determined for ruptured and non-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our 15 tissue specimens of ectopic pregnancies MMP-1 and TIMP-2 were found to be more prominent in the immunohistochemical distribution pattern than MMP-2. However, no statistically significant difference could be detected between the mean percentages of positive stained area by MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 antibodies in ruptured and non-ruptured tubal pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, we measured the comparative immunohistochemical expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 in ruptured and non-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies. Although our results did not show any statistically significant difference between ruptured and non-ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies, we conclude that MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 are functionally involved in the highly proliferative early first part of ectopic implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Vienna, Austria. elisabeth.kucera@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kucera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tangl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Klem
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grossschmidt
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kainz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sliutz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011274:Pregnancy, Tubal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020781:Matrix Metalloproteinase 1