title: Immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinases, their tissue inhibitors, and cathepsin-D in ovarian endometriosis: correlation with severity of disease.
abstract: In this study the immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1, 2, 3, and 9, tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) 1 and 2, and cathepsin-D in ovarian endometriomas were correlated with the clinical severity of endometriosis (i.e., presence of chronic pelvic pain [CPP] and American Society of Reproductive Medicine [ASRM] scores). Positive expression of proteases and their inhibitors was found more frequently in cases with low ASRM scores, whereas presence of CPP correlated significantly with absence of expression of TIMPs 1 and 2, indicating, first, that production of these enzymes is more active during the initial phases of the evolution of ovarian endometriosis, declining as fibrosis develops, and second, that expression of TIMPs seems to play a role in the development of CPP.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Athens, Greece. prototha@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Protopapas
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markaki
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitsis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milingos
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haidopoulos
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loutradis
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antsaklis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; C533922:CTSD protein, human; D002402:Cathepsin D; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases