title: Changes in tissue composition of the vaginal wall of premenopausal women with prolapse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare histological and biochemical features of the (normal) precervical anterior vaginal wall and the prolapsed anterior vaginal wall of women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). These data were compared to tissue of the precervical anterior vaginal wall of age-matched controls without POP to identify possible intrinsic and acquired effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies were collected from the apex of the anterior vaginal cuff after hysterectomy from a control group of 13 premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for benign gynecological diseases, and a case group of 13 premenopausal women undergoing prolapse surgery (cystocele POP-Quantification stage ≥2). In women with POP an additional full-thickness vaginal wall sample was taken from the POP site during anterior colporrhaphy. Histomorphometric and biochemical analysis were performed for different components of the extracellular matrix.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between case and control group in the precervical vaginal wall tissue with respect to the different components of the extracellular matrix and the biochemical parameters. However, there was a tendency toward a higher amount of collagen III and elastin, and a significant increase of smooth muscle cells and pyridinoline collagen cross-links in the POP site compared to the non-POP site of the same POP patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the changes seen in connective tissue in the anterior vaginal wall of women with POP are the effect, rather than the cause, of POP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kennemer Gasthuis Hospital, Haarlem, The Netherlands. Electronic address: mhkerkhof@freeler.nl.
authors.forename: Manon H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kerkhof
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Netherlands Institute for Regenerative Medicine, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alejandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Zapata
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kennemer Gasthuis Hospital, Haarlem, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bril
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maaike C G
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bleeker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Belien
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolic Health Research, TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Reinout
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stoop
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Netherlands Institute for Regenerative Medicine, MOVE Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marco N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Helder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014621:Vagina / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen
keywords: collagen; cross-linking; elastin; pelvic organ prolapse; smooth muscle cells