EXPRESSION OF MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASES AND TISSUE INHIBITORS OF METALLOPROTEINASES IN GLIOMATOSIS PERITONEI DERIVED FROM OVARIAN IMMATURE TERATOMA

The mechanisms of gliomatosis peritonei, composed exclusively of matur e glial tissue implants on the peritoneum or omentum, are not yet unde rstood. In the present study, the expressions of metalloproteinases (M MPs; MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase s (TIMPs; TIMP-1 and -2) were examined in ovarian immature teratomas w ith 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 regardle ss of the existence of gliomatosis peritonei. A weak expression of MMP -2 was seen in both primary and implant sites in the case with gliomat osis peritonei, but not in the cases without glial implants. In contra st, a high TIMP-2 expression was seen in the glial cells in the cases without gliomatosis peritoneal but was absent in the primary as well a s peritoneal implants in the case with gliomatosis peritonei. The expr essions of MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were universally negative. These r esults suggest that the loss of TIMP-2 plays a crucial role in the dev elopment of glial implants of ovarian immature teratoma.