[Morphological features of the myometrium in connective tissue dysplasia in women with uterine inertia].

OBJECTIVE

to reveal the morphological features of the lower uterine segment myometrium in connective tissue dysplasia (CTD) in women with uterine inertia.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Histological, immunohistochemical (with antibodies against collagen types I and III, matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 9 (MMR-1, MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), fibronectin; fibulin-5, connexin-43), electron microscopic, and electron immunocytochemical studies with morphometry of myometrial fragments from 15 parturient women with CTD and uterine inertia (a study group) and those from 10 women without CTD (a control group).

RESULTS

The myometrium in CTD exhibited the decreased expression of connextin-43, fibulin-5, TIMP-1, collagens types I and III with collagen type III predominance and the unchanged levels of fibronectin and MMP-1 and MMP-9. Electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry showed fewer intercellular contacts and the dramatically lower expression of connexin-43 than in the control.

CONCLUSION

A set of found myometrial changes in women with uterine inertia is a manifestation of CTD.