title: Relationship between the expressions of mitofusin-2 and procollagen in uterosacral ligament fibroblasts of postmenopausal patients with pelvic organ prolapse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the mRNA and protein expressions of mitochondrial fusion protein-2 (mitofusin-2, Mfn2), and procollagen 1A1/1A2/3A1 in uterosacral ligament fibroblasts of postmenopausal patients with or without pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The effect of Mfn2 on the expression of procollagen in fibroblasts was also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven POP patients and 23 non-POP postmenopausal patients were included in the POP (study) and non-POP (control) groups, respectively. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was combined with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of Mfn2, and types I and III procollagen in uterosacral ligament fibroblasts of the two groups, and the differences in expression levels were compared between the groups. The correlation between Mfn2 and procollagens was also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fibroblasts were successfully isolated from frozen sections of the uterosacral ligament using LCM. The results of qRT-PCR and western blot showed that the expressions of types I and III procollagen were significantly lower and those of Mfn2 were significantly higher in the POP group than in the non-POP group (p<0.05, all). In POP, opposite trends of protein expression changes of Mfn2 and procollagens were observed along with the duration of postmenopause (P<0.05), while this was not the case in POP accompanied by stress urinary incontinence and frequency of vaginal delivery (P>0.05). The expressions of type I and III procollagen were negatively associated with Mfn2 in POP patients (-1<r<0, P<0.001, all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mfn2 expression changed along with the duration of postmenopause and had a negative association with the expression of procollagens. Our results suggest that the Mfn2 protein may affect the synthesis of procollagen of fibroblasts in postmenopausal patients with POP. Changes in Mfn2 and procollagen expression may play a role in the development of POP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Hua-yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China. Electronic address: songqinlu@sina.com.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Experiment Center of Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
authors.forename: Wen-pei
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China. Electronic address: qinping_liao@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Qin-ping
authors.initials: QP
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011347:Procollagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012447:Sacrum; D014599:Uterus
chemical_list: D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011347:Procollagen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; C470018:MFN2 protein, human
keywords: Fibroblast; Laser capture microdissection; Mfn2; Pelvic organ prolapse; Procollagen