Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube-Strasse 40, Halle (Saale), Germany.
Acta Histochem. 2011 May;113(3):375-81. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2010.02.001. Epub 2010 Mar 1.
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is accompanied by an altered composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, it is unclear whether the changed ECM is the cause or the consequence of POP, as stretching of the tissue may have an effect on the composition of the ECM. To address this question, we analyzed the connective tissues of the uterine artery wall of postmenopausal women with and without POP. The uterine artery wall is stretched in patients with POP, but this stretching is unlikely to cause the POP. Twenty-one women (13 with POP and 8 without POP) hospitalized for hysterectomy were included in this study. Tissue samples from the uterine artery were analyzed for collagen (types I, III, IV, V and VI) and other ECM proteins (fibronectin, laminin, tenascin, vitronectin and elastin) using immunofluorescence microscopy. Results revealed that uterine artery samples of women with prolapse showed a significantly weaker immunoreactivity to type VI collagen, vitronectin and elastin and a stronger immunostaining for type III collagen and tenascin as compared to control samples. Our results suggest that the ECM may be altered in response to mechanical stretch. Changes in the ECM composition as observed in POP may not necessarily be the reason for the development of pelvic floor relaxation in postmenopausal women.
盆腔器官脱垂 (POP) 伴随着细胞外基质 (ECM) 的组成改变。然而，目前尚不清楚 ECM 的变化是 POP 的原因还是后果，因为组织的拉伸可能会对 ECM 的组成产生影响。为了解决这个问题，我们分析了绝经后患有和不患有 POP 的女性的子宫动脉壁的结缔组织。患有 POP 的患者的子宫动脉壁会被拉伸，但这种拉伸不太可能导致 POP。本研究纳入了 21 名因子宫切除术住院的女性（13 名患有 POP，8 名不患有 POP）。使用免疫荧光显微镜分析了来自子宫动脉的组织样本中的胶原蛋白（I、III、IV、V 和 VI 型）和其他 ECM 蛋白（纤连蛋白、层粘连蛋白、腱蛋白、玻连蛋白和弹性蛋白）。结果表明，与对照样本相比，脱垂女性的子宫动脉样本对 VI 型胶原蛋白、玻连蛋白和弹性蛋白的免疫反应明显减弱，而对 III 型胶原蛋白和腱蛋白的免疫染色增强。我们的结果表明，ECM 可能会因机械拉伸而发生改变。在 POP 中观察到的 ECM 组成的变化不一定是绝经后女性盆底松弛发展的原因。
