title: Relaxin Modulates the Expression of MMPs and TIMPs in Fibroblasts of Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of relaxin in subsynovial fibroblasts activated by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β).
  
  
  METHODS
  To test the anti-fibrotic effect of an adenovirus-relaxin construct (Ad-RLN) on subsynovial fibroblasts in vitro, cells from subsynovial connective tissue of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were activated with TGF-β1 and exposed to Ad-RLN (as a therapeutic gene) or adenovirus-lacZ construct (as a marker gene) for four hours. Subsynovial fibroblast cultures without adenoviral exposure served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed induction of gene expressions of collagen I, III and IV, as well as the abatement of alpha-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) synthesis, Smad2 phosphorylation, and fibronectin at the protein level, in comparison to controls. In addition, protein expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) I was significantly induced, whereas the protein expressions of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) I and IV were reduced due to relaxin expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RLN prevents excessive synthesis of extracellular matrix by reducing the expressions of its components, such as fibronectin, a-SMA, and phosphorylated Smad2, by increasing the expression of MMPs; and by decreasing the expression of TIMPs.
authors.affiliation: BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan Mo
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. yrchoi@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Yun Rak
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000378:metabolism; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012065:Relaxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D024061:Collagen Type III; D024141:Collagen Type IV; C067625:FN1 protein, human; D005353:Fibronectins; C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D012065:Relaxin; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases
keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; collagens; matrix metalloproteinases; relaxin; subsynovial connective tissue