title: Apoptosis and bcl-2 expression in normal human endometrium, endometriosis and adenomyosis.
abstract: Apoptosis has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases and is partly regulated by bcl-2, which blocks the apoptotic pathway and promotes cell survival. Apoptosis and bcl-2 expression were examined in paired eutopic and ectopic endometrium from women with endometriosis (n = 30 samples) or adenomyosis (n = 15 samples) and compared with control endometrium (n = 30 samples). Apoptotic cells were detected using the dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay for DNA fragmentation; bcl-2 expression was demonstrated with a streptavidin-biotin peroxidase immunohistochemical technique. Apoptotic cells were rare in eutopic, ectopic and control endometrium; there were no significant differences between subject groups nor between eutopic and ectopic endometrium. Stromal bcl-2 expression increased in the late secretory phase in control and eutopic endometrium in endometriosis; double labelling studies revealed that most stromal bcl-2+ cells were leukocytes. Stromal bcl-2 expression in endometriotic foci was significantly increased compared with the paired eutopic endometrium, did not vary with menstrual cycle and included a significant population of non-leukocytic bcl-2+ stromal cells. In contrast, stromal bcl-2 expression in adenomyosis remained at low levels and did not show significant cyclical variation. Glandular epithelial bcl-2 expression also varied with menstrual cycle phase and peaked in the proliferative phase; in contrast, surface epithelial bcl-2 expression increased in the late secretory phase. Elevated stromal bcl-2 expression in ovarian endometriotic lesions could have implications for the growth and survival of ectopic endometrial tissue at these sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Newcastle, The Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Searle
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bulmer
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2