Metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and their tissue inhibitors 1 and 2 are increased in vulvar lichen sclerosus.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the expression of different matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS), a chronic dermatosis in women, histologically characterized by a zone of collagen remodeling in the superior dermis.


METHODS
Analysis of the expression of different MMPs (MMP-1, -2, -9 and -13) and TIMPs (TIMP-1 and -2) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in vulvar biopsies from patients with LS (n=11), classified according to Hewitt histological criteria and compared with clinically normal vulvar tissue (n=5), and the immunohistochemistry of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2 distribution in the remodeling zone of LS (n=31) and in clinically normal vulvar tissue (n=28).


RESULTS
Although no statistically significant difference between LS and normal skin groups at the mRNA level of MMP and TIMP transcripts was shown, an increase in the immunodistribution of MMP-2 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2 in LS compared to normal vulvar skin was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that these molecules could be related to the process of cutaneous collagen remodeling in LS pathology.
Programa de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear Jiri Jonas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Guilherme A P
GA
de Oliveira
Mônica P
MP
de Almeida
Fernando A
FA
Soares
Gutemberg L
GL
de Almeida Filho
Christina M
CM
Takiya
Ivone B
IB
Otazu
Luiz E
LE
Nasciutti
D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014844:Vulva / Q000378:metabolism*; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C560822:TIMP1 protein, human; C560823:TIMP2 protein, human; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D003094:Collagen; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9