Expression of ArfGAP3 in Vaginal Anterior Wall of Patients With Pelvic Floor Organ Prolapse in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Non–Pelvic Organ Prolapse Patients

The purpose of this study was to study the expression of adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein 3 (ArfGAP3) in the anterior vaginal wall of patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2016 to July 2018, the anterior vaginal wall of 31 POP patients (pelvic organ prolapse quantification [POP-Q] II-III [n = 10] and POP-Q IV [n = 21]) with pelvic floor dysfunction-related symptoms who underwent vaginal hysterectomy were enrolled in POP group in the Department of Gynecology of Wuhan University People’s Hospital. The anterior vaginal wall of 28 non-POP patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy was selected as control group. The expression of 3 groups was determined by immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, and quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The expression levels of ArfGAP3 of POP-Q II-III and POP-Q IV groups were lower than the control group (P < 0.05), and there were significant differences between POP-Q II-III and POP-Q IV groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of ArfGAP3 in the anterior vaginal wall of POP patients decreased, which was related to the pathogenesis and clinical grading of POP.