Ghoul Adel, Moudilou Elara, Cherifi Mohamed El Hadi, Zerrouk Fouzia, Chaouad Billel, Moulahoum Anissa, Aouichat-Bouguerra Souhila, Othmani Khira, Exbrayat Jean-Marie, Benazzoug Yasmina
Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCM), Extracellular Matrix, Faculty of Biological Sciences (FSB), USTHB, El Alia, Algiers, Algeria, Algeria.
Folia Histochem Cytobiol. 2017;55(2):62-73. doi: 10.5603/FHC.a2017.0010. Epub 2017 Jun 21.
Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been associated with several tissue injuries including heart and liver fibrosis. In these diseases, hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) plays a major role in modulating the alteration of the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), leading to the pathological accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Since the effect of Hhcy on ECM of seminal vesicle was not studied, the aim of our research was to check if Hcy can induce a remodeling within seminal vesicles ECM.
The study was conducted in 22 adult male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into two groups: a control group, which received standard diet and tap water; the treated group received the same diet and water supplemented with solution of L-methionine (200 mg/kg b.w./day) for 6 months. Plasma homocysteine concentration was measured. Histological changes were observed with light microscope. The presence of collagen I and III and metalloproteinases (2, 3, 7 and 9) in the seminal vesicles was examined using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.
Plasma Hcy levels increased significantly after methionine treatment and interfered significantly with body weight in treated rats. The content of fibrillar collagens (I and III) in the wall of seminal vesicles was elevated in hyperhomocysteinemic rats. Moreover, we found that hyperhomocysteinemia increased the expression of MMP-2, -3, -7 and -9 in seminal vesicles of experimental rats.
Increased plasma concentration of Hcy accompanied by the accumulation of collagen and upregulation of MMPs in rat seminal vesicles might contribute to the remodeling of seminal vesicles.
血浆同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）水平升高与包括心脏和肝脏纤维化在内的多种组织损伤有关。在这些疾病中，高同型半胱氨酸血症（Hhcy）在调节基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）和金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂（TIMP）之间平衡的改变中起主要作用，导致细胞外基质（ECM）蛋白的病理性积累。由于尚未研究Hhcy对精囊ECM的影响，我们研究的目的是检查Hcy是否能诱导精囊ECM重塑。
本研究在22只成年雄性Wistar大鼠中进行。大鼠分为两组：对照组，给予标准饮食和自来水；治疗组给予相同饮食和补充L-蛋氨酸溶液（200mg/kg体重/天）的水，持续6个月。测量血浆同型半胱氨酸浓度。用光学显微镜观察组织学变化。使用免疫组织化学和蛋白质印迹法检测精囊中I型和III型胶原蛋白以及金属蛋白酶（2、3、7和9）的存在情况。
蛋氨酸处理后血浆Hcy水平显著升高，并显著影响治疗组大鼠的体重。高同型半胱氨酸血症大鼠精囊壁中纤维状胶原蛋白（I型和III型）的含量升高。此外，我们发现高同型半胱氨酸血症增加了实验大鼠精囊中MMP-2、-3、-7和-9的表达。
大鼠精囊中血浆Hcy浓度升高，伴有胶原蛋白积累和MMPs上调，可能有助于精囊重塑。
