オウショク ジンタイ ヘンセイ ニ オイテ Matrix metalloproteinase ワ ダンセイ センイ ノ ゲンショウ オ ソクシン スル

熊本大

Pathological changes in LF tissue.

<p><b>A:</b> Hematoxylin-eosin (HE), picrosirius, trichrome, and Elastica-van Gieson (EVG) staining of LF in LSCS and control samples. Arrowheads indicate hyaline degeneration. Type 1 collagen appears red or orange and type 3 collagen appears green in color. Each scale bar, 100 μm. <b>B:</b> Average number of fibroblasts in the randomly selected field (×400). <b>C, D:</b> Average occupation of collagen fibers (C) and elastic fibers (D). <b>E:</b> Ratio of elastic and collagen fibers. <b>F, G:</b> Mean grade of LF fibrosis (F) and elastin degradation (G) by Park’s scoring systems. Lower grade (0 and 1) indicates less degeneration and grade 4 indicates severe degenerative change. <b>H:</b> Resorcin-fuchsin staining of LF samples in LSCS-fibrosis, LSCS-chondrogenic, and the representative control area. Arrowheads indicate elaunin-like fibers and arrows indicate oxytalan-like microfibers. Scale bar, 50 μm. <b>I:</b> Quantitative proteoglycan levels of LF tissues in LSCS and control. Data represent the mean ± SEM (n = 13 per group for histological assay; and n = 20 per group for proteoglycan assay, selected randomly). **P < 0.01 vs. control group.</p

Demographic data of the study population.

<p>Demographic data of the study population.</p

MMP-2 and -9 expressions in LF tissue.

<p><b>A, B:</b> Comparison of MMP-2 (A) and MMP-9 (B) mRNA and protein expression in the LF of the LSCS and control groups. mRNA levels were normalized to <i>18S rRNA</i> levels. The value in the control group was set as 1. <b>C:</b> Immunohistochemical analysis of MMP-2 and -9 expressions in LF tissue from patients with LSCS (left) and control subjects (right). The inset in the left panel for MMP-2 shows a high-magnification view of the area enclosed by the dashed line. Arrowheads indicate MMP-positive cells. Scale bar, 100 μm. <b>D:</b> Correlation between MMP-2 mRNA (left) and protein (right) expression and LF thickness. Data represent the mean ± SEM (LSCS, n = 31 and control, n = 21 for mRNA assay; and n = 14 per group for protein assay). **P < 0.01 vs. control group. N.S., not significant.</p

Sequences of primers used for RT-PCR analysis.

<p>Sequences of primers used for RT-PCR analysis.</p

Elastic fiber assay in LF tissues.

<p><b>A:</b> Correlation between <i>MMP-2</i> mRNA expression and elastic fiber area. The minimum value of MMP-2 expression in analyzed samples was set to 1 (LSCS, n = 13 and control, n = 11). <b>B:</b> <i>Elastin</i> mRNA expression in LF tissue (LSCS, n = 31 and control, n = 21). Data represent the mean ± SEM. N.S., not significant.</p