抄録
The mechanisms of gliomatosis peritonei, composed exclusively of mature glial tissue implants on the peritoneum or omentum, are not yet understood. In the present study, the expressions of metalloproteinases (MMPs; MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs; TIMP-1 and -2) were examined in ovarian immature teratomas with and without glial implants to evaluate the roles of MMPs and TIMPs in gliomatosis peritonei. The immunostaining showed a high expression of MMP-1 in the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cells in the glial implants, and in the primary immature teratomas regardless of the existence of gliomatosis peritonei. A weak expression of MMP-2 was seen in both primary and implant sites in the case with gliomatosis peritonei, but not in the cases without glial implants. In contrast, a high TIMP-2 expression was seen in the glial cells in the cases without gliomatosis peritonei but was absent in the primary as well as peritoneal implants in the case with gliomatosis peritonei. The expressions of MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were universally negative. These results suggest that the loss of TIMP-2 plays a crucial role in the development of glial implants of ovarian immature teratoma.
