title: [Detection of collagenase activity and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 expression level in the urethral scar tissue].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find the difference between the collagenase activity and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) expression level in normal urethral tissue and in urethral scar tissue, and to study the effect of collagenase activity and TIMP-1 expression level on the degradation of urethral scar.
  
  
  METHODS
  The urethral tissues were derived from 10 human surgical specimens of urethral stricture scar and 10 human normal urethral specimens from patients with brain death. The collagenase activity was detected by ELISA assay, and the TIMP-1 mRNA level by RTPCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The collagenase activity of urethral scar tissue was (15.32 +/- 2.29) U and lower than that of normal urethral tissue (24.67 +/- 6.78) U, there was significant difference between them (P < 0.01). The TIMP-1 expression level of urethral scar tissue was higher than that of normal urethral tissue, there was significant difference between them (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high level of TIMP-1 expression and the low collagenase activity in urethral scar tissue may inhibit the degradation of urethral scar, and may be one of important causes of the scar tissue hyperplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China 610041.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Da-peng
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yu-ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology*; D017364:Collagenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014521:Urethra / Q000201:enzymology; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D017364:Collagenases