EXPRESSİON OF VEGF AND MMP-2 İN UTERİNE LEİOMYOMA AND CORRELATİON WİTH ANGİOGENESİS

Objective: Leiomyoma is the most common tumor of the uterus. Angiogenic factors and proteases may play role in the growth of uterine leiomyoma.The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in uterine leiomyoma and their possible relation to microvessel density (MVD). Material and methods: Material for the study comprised parafin-embedded tissue sections of uterine leiomyomas and corresponding myometrium derived from 50 hysterectomized women. VEGF, MMP-2 and CD34 expression was investigated immunohistochemically. Semiquantitative analysis of the immunostainings for VEGF and MMP-2 was performed. MVD was calculated by counting of CD-34 positive vascular endothelial cells. Results: Expression of VEGF and MMP-2 was significantly higher in leiomyomas than corresponding myometrium. The CD34 labeling showed decreased MVD in leiomyomas compared with myometrium. There was no correlation between VEGF and MMP-2 staining and MVD. Conclusion: These data suggest that VEGF and MMP-2 may play role in the development of uterine leiomyomas. Mechanisms other than promotion of angiogenesis may contribute to this disease process. MMP-2 may be responsible for remodelling of extracellular matrix during the proliferation of smooth muscle cells.