Clinical significance of imbalanced expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 in endometriosis

Objective To study the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1)in the course of the occurrence and development of endometriosis. Methods Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the ectopic endometrium of 50 patients with endometriosis and the eutopic endometrium of 30 patients with endometriosis. Results The expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the ectopic endometrium were positive or stronger positive, but the expression levels of them were different. The former was up-regulative expression with the increase of r-AFS stage of endometriosis, but the latter was down-regulated expression with the increase of r-AFS stage of endometriosis, and the difference of them was significant(P0.05). The expressions of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in the eutopic endometrium of normal control were weak positive or non-expression. There was significant difference between the two groups (P0.01). Conclusions The imbalanced expression of MMP-9/TIMP-1 may be a crucial role in the course of the occurrence and development in endometriosis.