To explore the effects of two different materials (polypropylene, composite) meshes on transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and Collagen anabolism of abdominal transverse fascia in rats with abdominal wall hernia.

Eight-week-old male SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (Control), abdominal wall hernia (AH), polypropylene mesh repair (PM) and composite mesh repair (CM) group, with 6 rats in each group. The lower abdomen of rats was cut after blunt separation of skin and muscle tissue. The model of abdominal wall defect was made by removing 3 cm×2 cm full thickness abdominal wall tissue, and was repaired with PM and CM mesh materials using Onlay mode respectively. The rats in the four groups were killed after 8 weeks of feeding. The whole layer of abdominal wall (mesh and transverse fascia) was taken out, added to TRIzol lysate buffer, and total RNA was taken; the RT-PCR method was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad-2, Smad-3, CollagenⅠand Ⅲ, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2, MMP-9).

Compared to control group, the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, Smad-2 and Smad-3 in transverse abdominal fascia of AH rats were significantly decreased (P<0.001); Both PM and CM groups can effectively increase the levels of TGF-β1 and Smad-2/3 mRNA expressions (P<0.01), and CM group had significantly higher mRNA expression than PM group (P<0.05). AH rats significantly decreased the mRNA expression of CollagenⅠand Collagen Ⅲ in the abdominal transverse fascia (P<0.001); The CM group was more effective in increasing the mRNA expression level of Collagen (typeⅠand Ⅲ) than the PM group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). AH rats significantly increased the mRNA expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the abdominal transverse fascia (P<0.001); The mRNA expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the CM group were significantly lower than those in the PM group (P<0.05).

The polypropylene mesh and composite mesh could improve the TGF-β1 and Collagen anabolism of transverse abdominal fascia in AH rats, and the composite mesh was more effectively in promoting the synthesis of Collagen.