Expression of Collagen (Types I, III, and V)‎, HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in Retrobulbar Adipose Tissue of Patients with Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy

Abstract EN

Objective.

This study aimed to investigate the expression of collagen (types I, III, and V), heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the retrobulbar adipose tissues of patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO).

Materials and Methods.

The retrobulbar adipose tissues were collected from 4 TAO patients undergoing orbital decompression and 4 ocular enucleation patients with atrophic eyeball caused by ocular trauma between May 2019 and September 2019.

Masson staining was performed to analyze the differences in collagen expression and degree of histologic fibrosis in each sample.

The protein expressions of collagen (types I, III, and V), HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 were determined by western blotting.

The data of western blotting were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0, with independent t-tests.

Results.

The results of Masson staining showed that the expression of collagen fibers in the TAO group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the fibers were diffuse and irregular in distribution.

The expression level of collagen (types I, III, and V), HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in the TAO group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion.

The proliferation and fibrosis of retrobulbar adipose tissue in TAO patients might be related to the increased expression of collagen (types I, III, and V) and HSP47 and decreased degradation of extracellular matrix.