Endometrial and peritoneal expression of aromatase, cytokines, and adhesion factors in women with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine messenger (m) RNA expression of aromatase, cytokines, and adhesion factors in women with and without endometriosis.


METHODS
Patients with endometriosis were compared with control patients.


METHODS
University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.


METHODS
A total of 35 patients who had laparoscopic surgery during the luteal phase (n = 20) or the menstrual phase (n = 15) were selected for this study based on cycle phase and presence/absence of endometriosis.


METHODS
Tissues of endometrium and macroscopically normal peritoneum were collected during hysteroscopy and laparoscopic surgery, respectively, from 24 women with revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine stage (rASRM) stages I-II (n = 12) and III-IV (n = 12) endometriosis and 11 control patients with normal pelvic. Tissue samples were selected from a tissue bank, based on the phase of the cycle (menstrual or luteal) and the presence/absence of endometriosis.


METHODS
The mRNA levels of aromatase, vimentin, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), alpha(V) and beta(3) integrins, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) were evaluated using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
During menstrual phase, increased endometrial mRNA levels of alpha(V) integrin, combined alpha(V)beta(3) integrins, and increased peritoneal IL-1 beta mRNA levels--but decreased peritoneal MCP-1 mRNA levels--were observed in women with endometriosis compared with control subjects. During luteal phase, endometrial mRNA levels of IL-1 beta and RANTES were increased in women with endometriosis compared with control subjects. Endometrial aromatase mRNA expression was higher in women with endometriosis than in control subjects in combined phases. Women with endometriosis had increased peritoneal mRNA expression of RANTES and VCAM-1 during menstrual compared with luteal phase.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant mRNA expression of aromatase, cytokines, and adhesion factors in endometrium and peritoneum suggests that both tissues are involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Leuven University Fertility Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
Cleophas M
CM
Kyama
Lutgart
L
Overbergh
Attila
A
Mihalyi
Christel
C
Meuleman
Jason M
JM
Mwenda
Chantal
C
Mathieu
Thomas M
TM
D'Hooghe
D000328:Adult; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008598:Menstruation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054390:Receptors, CCR2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018946:Chemokine CCL5; D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054390:Receptors, CCR2; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D014746:Vimentin; D001141:Aromatase