Oral contraceptives suppress cell proliferation and enhance apoptosis of eutopic endometrial tissue from patients with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of administering combination oral contraceptives (COCs) to patients with endometriosis on the regulation of cell growth in the eutopic endometrium.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Research institute and clinical fertility center.


METHODS
Thirteen women with untreated endometriosis and 13 controls.


METHODS
Biopsy specimens of the eutopic endometrium were obtained from all subjects. Apoptosis, cell proliferation, and Bcl-2 and Bax expression were examined at the epithelial and stromal levels in the eutopic endometrium from patients with endometriosis before and after 30 days of daily exposure to COCs and from controls.


METHODS
Apoptotic cells were detected by using the dUTP nick-end labeling assay; Ki-67, Bcl-2, and Bax expressions were assessed by using immunohistochemical techniques.


RESULTS
After exposure to COCs, apoptosis was significantly increased in the eutopic endometrium compared with before COC administration, both at epithelial and stromal levels. Cell proliferation was significantly lowered by COCs.


CONCLUSIONS
COCs showed a positive effect on patients with endometriosis by down-regulating cell proliferation and enhancing apoptosis in the eutopic endometrium.
Meresman
Gabriela F
GF
Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Buenos Aires, Argentina. meresman@dna.uba.ar
Augé
Luis
L
Barañao
Rosa I
RI
Lombardi
Eduardo
E
Tesone
Marta
M
Sueldo
Carlos
C
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein