[Expression and clinical significance of decorin in stress urinary incontinence].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the relation between content of type III collagen and expression of decorin in paraurethral connective tissue in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).


METHODS
Transvaginal biopsies were obtained from the paraurethral connective tissue in 43 SUI and non-SUI control women. The concentration of type III collagen was determined by immunohistochemical technique, electrophoretic separation and quantification. RT-PCR was used to verify the mRNA level of decorin.


RESULTS
The mean concentration of type III collagen was significantly reduced in patients with SUI (23 +/- 4), compared to the control group (34 +/- 6, P < 0.05). The expression of decorin was significantly higher in patients with SUI (1.17 +/- 0.18), compared to the control group (0.76 +/- 0.16, P < 0.05), and it was highly and negatively related to the content of type III collagen (r = -0.720, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study results suggest that collagen metabolism in SUI is altered by decorin. This alteration results in a less flexible connective tissue, which is probably more likely to break. Decorin might be involved in the pathogenesis of SUI.
Lin
Yi-bin
YB
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fuzhou General Hospital, Nanjing Military Command, Fuzhou 350025, China.
Song
Yan-feng
YF
D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058575:Decorin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D024061:Collagen Type III; D058575:Decorin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger