Dysregulated gene expression of extracellular matrix and adhesion molecules in saphenous vein conduits of hemodialysis patients  Yongxin Sun, MD, Wenjun Ding, MD, Qiang Wei, MD, Zhenya Shen, MD, Chunsheng Wang, MD  The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery  Volume 144, Issue 3, Pages 684-689 (September 2012) DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2011.12.037 Copyright © 2012 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 Immunohistochemical evaluation of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase (TIMP)-2, and TIMP-3 activity in saphaneous vein (SV) of hemodialysis (HD) and control groups (A–H, DAB staining, original magnification ×100). SV of HD group (n = 15) showed high expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 (A and C, respectively). In contrast, in control group (n = 19), their expression was low (B and D); TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 immunostaining were notably reduced in SV of HD group (E and G, respectively) compared with those in control group (F and H, respectively). The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2012 144, 684-689DOI: (10.1016/j.jtcvs.2011.12.037) Copyright © 2012 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions

Figure 2 Alteration of saphaneous vein (SV) tissue matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, metallopeptidase (TIMP)-2 and TIMP-3 protein levels induced by end-stage renal disease (ESRD). A, Representative Western blot showing tissue MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 expression in SV samples of hemodialysis (HD) and control groups. β-Actin was the loading control. B, Densitometric evaluation of MMP-2 expression; C, MMP-9; D, TIMP-2; and E, TIMP-3. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2012 144, 684-689DOI: (10.1016/j.jtcvs.2011.12.037) Copyright © 2012 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery Terms and Conditions