Fig. 10.

Effect of the cytokine TNF-α and TNF-α antagonist on gelatinase activity of aortic, uterine, and placental MMP-1 and MMP-7 in Preg and RUPP rats. Aortic (A), uterine (B), and placental strips (C) of Preg rats were treated with TNF-α (0.1 μg/ml) with or without TNF-α antagonist (0.1 μg/ml), and tissues of RUPP rats were treated with TNF-α antagonist for 48 h in organ culture. Tissue homogenates were prepared and loaded at 5 µg protein amount for gelatin zymography analysis. At 5 µg amount of loaded protein, the proteolytic bands corresponding to pro-MMP-2 and MMP-2 were saturated, and no differences could be detected between the treatment groups. The densitometry values of the proteolytic bands corresponding to MMP-1 and MMP-7 are presented as pixel intensity × mm² and normalized to β-actin to correct for loading. Bar graphs represent means ± SE; n = 6/group. *Significantly different (P < 0.05) from corresponding measurements in control nontreated tissues of Preg rats.