INVOLVEMENT OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES AND THEIR INHIBITORS IN BOVINE CYSTIC OVARIAN DISEASE.

PERALTA, M.B.; BARAVALLE M.E.; BELOTTI, E.M.; STASSI A.F.; SALVETTI, N.R.; ORTEGA, H.H.; REY, F.; VELAZQUEZ M.M.L.

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXI REUNIÓN ANUAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACIÓN CLÍNICA (SAIC); 2016

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE INVESTIGACIÓN CLÍNICA (SAIC)

The most important regulators of tissue remodelling duringovarian follicular growth, development, ovulation and atresia aregonadotropins, steroid hormones, growth factors and different proteolyticenzymes. Matrix metalloproteinases such as collagenaseor gelatinase (MMP-1, -8, -2, -9) and associated tissue inhibitorsof metalloproteinases (TIMP-1, -2, -3 and -4) control connectivetissue remodelling during follicular rupture. In this study, we hypothesizedthat an imbalance in the MMPs/TIMPs system may bean intraovarian component that contributes to the pathogenesis ofcystic ovarian disease (COD) in cows. Taking into account that thecontrol of MMP activity by TIMPs could determine their effects inboth physiological and pathological conditions, MMP mRNA andprotein expression was examined by real time PCR and immunohistochemistry,respectively, in ovaries from control cows and cowswith COD. mRNA levels of MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were lowerin follicular cysts than in control preovulatory follicles (p < 0,05),while the results by immunohistochemistry showed this imbalanceonly for TIMP-2 protein expression (p < 0,05). Additional analysisby zymography to evaluate the gelatinase activity of MMP-2 andMMP-9 demonstrated higher MMP-2 activity in follicular fluid (FF)of cysts than in FF of preovulatory follicles (p < 0,05). On the otherhand, MMP-9 activity was increased in follicular cysts and absentin FF of preovulatory follicles. These findings suggest that thealtered mRNA and protein expression of the MMP/TIMP systemand enzymatic activity for MMP-9 may be related to the failure inovulation and follicular development observed in COD.