Involvement of catalase in the endometrium of patients with endometriosis and adenomyosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the distribution of catalase in eutopic and ectopic endometria in patients with endometriosis or adenomyosis.


METHODS
Retrospective randomized study.


METHODS
Department of obstetrics and gynecology in a university hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with endometriosis, 36 with adenomyosis, and 47 fertile controls (total, 116 women).


METHODS
Semiquantitative immunostaining of endometrial cells obtained by biopsy sampling, followed by calculation of an evaluation nomogram score.


RESULTS
The score of catalase in the glandular epithelium of controls group fluctuated during the menstrual cycle; it was lowest in the early proliferative phase and peaked in the late secretory phase. In patients with endometriosis, catalase scores did not fluctuate during the cycle, and scores were high compared with controls throughout the menstrual cycle. Catalase scores did not vary in patients with adenomyosis, and scores in this group were consistently higher than those in patients with endometriosis throughout the cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal expression of catalase in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium strongly suggests pathologic involvement of free radicals in endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Ota
Hirotaka
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita-city, Akita-ken, Japan. otah@obgyn.med.akita-u.ac.jp
Igarashi
Shinichi
S
Sato
Naoki
N
Tanaka
Hidenori
H
Tanaka
Toshinobu
T
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002374:Catalase / Q000032:analysis*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000201:enzymology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D005609:Free Radicals; D002374:Catalase