title: Differential expression of IGF-I and IGF-II in eutopic and ectopic endometria of women with endometriosis and in women without endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Factors regulating the development, growth, and differentiation of endometrial cells of endometriotic lesions are poorly understood. To investigate the paracrine-autocrine regulation of ectopic endometrial cell growth, the expression of IGF-I and IGF-II were studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue specimens of eutopic and ectopic endometria were obtained from eight patients with endometriosis at laparoscopy and from the endometria of 14 women without endometriosis as controls. They were tested for the expression of IGF-I and IGF-II by immunohistochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical study for IGF-I in controls showed a more intense staining during the proliferative phase both in stromal and epithelial cells. In eutopic endometria of women with endometriosis a reduction in the staining was observed, whereas in epithelial cells of fibrotic peritoneal adhesions an intense immunostaining for IGF-I was observed. Immunohistochemical study of IGF-II in controls showed a more intense staining during secretory phase both in stromal and epithelial cells. In eutopic endometria of women with endometriosis, a reduction in the staining was observed, whereas in epithelial cells of fibrotic peritoneal adhesions an intense immunostaining for IGF-I was observed. Immunohistochemical study of IGF-II in controls showed a more intense staining during secretory phase both in stromal and epithelial cells. In eutopic endometria of women with endometriosis, a reduction in the staining was observed, whereas in epithelial cells of ovarian lesions and fibrotic peritoneal adhesions, no immunostaining for IGF-II was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In endometriosis there is an alteration of mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sbracia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zupi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marconi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scarpellini
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Di Tondo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romanini
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II