Expression levels of elastin and related genes in human varicose veins.
Among the suspected reasons for varicose vein formation are changes in the quantity and content of the elastin protein; however, comprehensive investigations about elastin assembly in varicose vein formation are yet lacking. In this study, we aimed to determine the changes in mRNA levels of elastin and some of its functionally related proteins, fibulin 5, LOXL-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in varicose vein formation. We analysed the mRNA levels of elastin, fibulin-5, LOXL1, MMP2 and MMP9 in samples of 35 healthy and 35 varicose great saphenous vein tissues. mRNA levels of these genes were determined by using real-time PCR and normalized with HPRT1. When we compared the patient and control groups, elastin mRNA levels were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (P = 0.047), although there were no significant differences in fibulin 5, LOXL1, MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA levels between the patient and control groups. We showed that up-regulation of MMP2 mRNA expression was significantly correlated with hyperlipidaemia (P = 0.029). The up-regulation of elastin expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of primary varicose veins. Additionally, the up-regulation of MMP2 expression was strongly correlated with hyperlipidaemia in varicose veins.
Istanbul Bilim University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Istanbul, Turkey.
U
U
Görmüs
Istanbul University, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
O
O
Timirci-Kahraman
Istanbul University, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
A
A
Ergen
Izmit Seka State Hospital, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kocaeli, Turkey.
A T
AT
Kunt
Marmara University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
S
S
Isbir
Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
A B
AB
Dalan
Yeditepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Istanbul, Turkey.
T
T
Isbir
D000368:Aged; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004549:Elastin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014648:Varicose Veins
D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C492373:FBLN5 protein, human; D004549:Elastin; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; C445313:LOXL1 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2