Immunohistochemical analysis of distribution of estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors in the postmenopausal endometrium.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the expression of sex steroid receptors (ER: estrogen receptor; PR: progesterone receptor) in the postmenopausal endometrium (PMEM) and the relationship to clinical data for studying its characters.


METHODS
The immunohistochemical reactivity of the PMEM was studied using monoclonal antibodies against ER and PR, in 33 postmenopausal patients.


RESULTS
The endometrium was thicker in patients who were postmenopausal for 1 to 10 years (1.48 +/- 1.31 mm) than in patients who were postmenopausal for more than 10 years (0.79 +/- 0.37 mm)(p < 0.05). Among the 33 postmenopausal endometrial samples, ER positivity was found in the glands in 26 cases (78.8%) and PR positivity was detected in 18 cases (54.5%). The average age of the patients with ER positive reactivity in the glands (61.69 +/- 7.26 years) was significantly lower than that of the patients with ER negative reactivity (66.00 +/- 3.56 years)(p < 0.05). Furthermore, the endometrial thickness of the patients with ER or PR positive reactivity in the glands (1.24 +/- 1.09 mm and 1.47 +/- 1.20 mm, respectively) was significantly greater than that of the patients with ER or PR negative reactivity (0.67 +/- 0.26 mm and 0.70 +/- 0.40 mm, respectively)(p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
ER in the glands of the PMEM was determined to decrease gradually with increased aging. The presence of ER and PR in the gland cells seemed likely to determine the thickness of the PMEM.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tenri Hospital, Nara, Japan.
M
M
Koshiyama
M
M
Yoshida
M
M
Takemura
Y
Y
Yura
K
K
Matsushita
M
M
Hayashi
K
K
Tauchi
I
I
Konishi
T
T
Mori
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004717:Endometrium / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone