[Effect of carbon disulfide on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9 in embryo and uterus of pregnant mice].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of carbon disulfide (CS(2)) on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 in mouse embryo and uterus tissues and to explore the mechanism of embryo toxicity induced by CS(2).

METHODS

At the phases of follicular development and embryonic implantation which was subdivided into early-implantation phase and late-implantation phase, mice were intraperitoneally exposed to CS(2) (the dosage was 631.4 mg/kg, and the volume was 0.1ml/10 g body weight) for 2 consecutive days. All indicators were got at the ninth day in gestation, and the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in embryo and uterus tissues was analyzed by gelatin zymography.

RESULTS

The number of implanted embryos significantly decreased after exposure at late-implantation phase (16.000 ± 12.166) compared with those of the control (30.700 ± 5.599, P < 0.05). Expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in embryos declined obviously at the three reproductive phases (P < 0.01), and the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in embryos at the phases of late-implantation phase (0.6837 ± 0.0929, 0.7309 ± 0.0822) and follicular development (0.6222 ± 0.0997, 0.7520 ± 0.1068) were much lower than those of the control (1.0000 ± 0.0710, 1.0000 ± 0.0413, P < 0.01). Expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in uterus significantly increased at the phase of late-implantation (1.3153 ± 0.3032, 5.0210 ± 4.0307) compared with those of the control (1.0000 ± 0.1771, 1.0000 ± 0.0996, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Embryo toxicity of CS(2) is more obvious at the phase of late-implantation. Exposure to CS(2) disturbs expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in embryo and uterus tissues, which might be one of the important factors contributed to embryo toxicity induced by CS(2).