Immunohistochemical expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 and Tissue Inhibitors of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 in Hepatic Fibrogenesis in Dogs
Abstract
Hepatic fibrogenesis is a complex process and is due to both hypersecretion ofextracellular matrix proteins and to the inhibition of matrix degradation by the tissue inhibitors ofmatrix metalloproteinases.The present study is aiming to determine the immunohistochemical expression of MMP2and TIMP-2 in active hepatic fibrogenesis in dogs.The study was realized on 10 hepatic samples, obtained during necropsy at our faculty’sPathology department. Immunohistochemical exam was realized using antibodies against MMP2and TIMP-2In our study, MMP 2 was strongly expressed by the periseptal hepatocytes someintralobulary located hepatocytes in the regions of sinusoidal capillarization and by inflammatorycells within fibrous septae. Hepatic stellate cells and Kuppfer cells showed strong cytoplasmiclabeling, while sinusoidal endothelial cells expresed the protein slightly and inconstantly.In the present study we showed that periseptal hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cellscoexpress MMP2 and TIMP-2, in the active fibrogenesis process TIMP-2 expression beingdominant.In dogs, the main source of MMP2 and TIMP-2 are represented by the hepatocytes. Theintralobulary located hepatocytes by the secretion of TIMP-2 are involved in the sinusoidalcapillarization.a) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
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