Studies on leptin and leptin receptor gene expression in myometrium and uterine myomas of gnRH analogue-treated women.
OBJECTIVE
To test if treatment with GnRH analogue, which leads to a significant reduction in myoma volume, changes expression of leptin genes and gene coding leptin receptor isoforms in uterine myomas and in the surrounding unaltered myometrium.


METHODS
Using RT-PCR, expression of leptin genes and leptin receptor genes was studied in myomas and in the surrounding myometrium in women with uterine myomas, untreated or treated with GnRH analogue. In the randomly selected cases presence of leptin protein and of leptin receptor proteins was examined also by Western blotting.


RESULTS
Expression of leptin genes was demonstrated both in myomas and in the surrounding myometrium, and a similar pattern of expression was found for leptin receptor isoforms. The results of RT-PCR were confirmed by Western blotting, which documented the identical distribution of leptin proteins and leptin receptor proteins in studied tissues. Treatment with GnRH analogue had no effect on the expression pattern of studied genes.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study on the administration of GnRH analogue to females with myomas suggest that no direct or immediate inter-relationship exists between expression of leptin genes in uterine myomas on one hand and estrogen, progesterone and leptin levels in the blood on the other. Expression seems to be of a more durable nature but factors that induce such expression remain unknown.
Markowska
A
A
Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
Rucinski
M
M
Drews
K
K
Malendowicz
L K
LK
D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009214:Myoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D017931:DNA Primers; C515448:LEPR protein, human; D020738:Leptin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone