Sulfated glycosaminoglycans of the vagina and perineal skin in pre- and postmenopausal women, according to genital prolapse stage

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the amount and types of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the posterior vaginal wall and perineal skin in menacme and postmenopausal women, according to genital prolapse stage. Samples of vaginal tissue and perineal skin were obtained from 40 women who underwent vaginal surgery. Sulfated glycosaminoglycans were extracted by extensive tissue maxatase digestion, submitted to electrophoresis on agarose gel, and their concentrations were determined by densitometry. Dermatan sulphate (DS) was the predominant GAG, followed by chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS). In the vagina there was a significant decrease in total GAGs, CS, DS and HS in postmenopausal women with prolapse stage 2 and 3 compared to the premenopausal group, independent of the stage. In stage 2 and 3 postmenopausal patients there was a significant decrease of DS and HS compared to the stage 1 postmenopausal group. In perineal skin there was no significant difference between total GAG amount, DS and HS. However, the amount of CS in premenopausal stage 1 patients was significantly than that in postmenopausal patients stage 1 and stages 2 and 3. In conclusions, there are quantitative and qualitative differences in GAGs of the ECM in vaginal wall and perineal skin between women in menacme and the postmenopause, according to genital prolapse stage.

Cutaneous and mucosal human papillomaviruses differ in net surface charge, potential impact on tropism

“…In a study comparing HS expression in skin and mucosa, more GAGs were found in vaginal tissue than in perianal skin, although this difference could possibly be explained by differential expression of chondroitin sulfates and dermatan sulfate and not HS [ 22 ]. Both the extracellular matrix in addition to the cell surface and the epithelial basement membrane seems to be the primary site of virus binding during genital tract infection in vivo [ 23 ] and a dynamic model for alpha-HPV entry has been suggested where binding of alpha HPV to cell surface HS results in conformational change in the capsid, followed by binding to a second receptor [ 24 ].…”

Analysis of Glycosaminoglycans in the Parametrium and Vaginal Apex of Women with and without Uterine Prolapse

“…Bezerra et al 25 found significant differences among GAGs in vaginal tissue. Total amounts of GAG, CS, DS, and HS in premenopausal women with prolapse stages I, II, and III were significantly higher than in postmenopausal patients with prolapse stages II and III.…”

Uterine prolapse: evaluation of glycosaminoglycans in postmenopausal women after estrogen therapy

“…Our study focused on GAGs reported in previous studies 19 . We identified a high amount of hyaluronic acid, which was the most prevalent GAG in all tissues studied (parametrium, vaginal apex and paraurethral tissue).…”