title: The expression of the hormone receptors in the endometrium and endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women and its relationship to body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the relationship of body mass index (BMI) and the immunoexpression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in endometrial polyps (EP) and endometrium, in gland and stromal cells of postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five postmenopausal women with benign endometrial polyps, who had not been taking medication with hormonal effects for at least 6 months, were submitted to operative hysteroscopy. The presence of ER and PR were evaluated by immunohistochemical method using a semiquantitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI was significantly higher among patients with lower expression of ER in the glands of endometrium (p=0.02). EP and adjacent endometrium showed significantly higher proportion of positive cells in the glands than in the stroma, for both ER (p=0.0015 and 0.0018, respectively) and PR (p=0.0176 and p<0.0001, respectively). Glands and stroma cells showed significantly higher proportion of positive cells in polyps than in the endometrium, for ER (p<0.0001 and p=0.0034, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher proportion of positive gland cells for ER in EP as compared to endometrium supports an implication of these receptors in the pathogenesis of polyps. Association of higher BMI with lower expression of ER in endometrial glands, but not in EP, may indicate that factors influencing ER expression do not affect EP, supporting an autonomous function of polyps.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Alexander Fleming, 101, Campinas, São Paulo CEP 13 083-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miriam Siesler Nóbrega
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Belisário
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vassallo
authors.forename: Liliana A L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvarenga
authors.forename: Glauce A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Ilza Maria Urbano
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone