Objective: To determine matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) levels in sera and peritoneal fluids of women with or without endometriosis-associated infertility and to determine whether MMP-2 had correlation with 17beta-E(2) and P in the sera and peritoneal fluids of the patients with endometriosis.
Design: A case-control study.
Setting: A women's hospital in China.
Patient(s): Forty patients with endometriosis-associated infertility undergoing laparoscopy and 18 women undergoing tubal ligation.
Intervention(s): Sera and peritoneal fluids were collected from women with or without endometriosis.
Main outcome measure(s): Matrix metalloproteinase 2, 17beta-E(2), and P concentration.
Result(s): Compared with the control women, the patients with endometriosis had higher MMP-2 levels in their sera and peritoneal fluids. Serum and peritoneal fluid MMP-2 levels were higher in the proliferative phase than in the secretory phase. The level of MMP-2 in the patients was correlated positively with 17beta-E(2) in serum and peritoneal fluid and negatively with P.
Conclusion(s): The results demonstrated a correlation between MMP-2 concentrations and steroid hormones in sera and peritoneal fluids of the patients with endometriosis-associated infertility. Estradiol might up-regulate MMP-2, resulting in the formation of endometriosis. Progesterone might down-regulate MMP-2 to inhibit the formation and development of endometriosis.