Effects of hormonal treatment on nerve fibers in endometrium and myometrium in women with endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how hormonal treatment can change nerve fiber density and to identify types of nerve fibers in endometrium and myometrium in women with endometriosis.


METHODS
Laboratory study using human tissue.


METHODS
University-based laboratory.


METHODS
Hormonally treated and untreated women with endometriosis undergoing hysterectomy or curettage.


METHODS
Endometrial and myometrial tissues were prepared from women with hormonally treated endometriosis and women with untreated endometriosis.


METHODS
Types and density of nerve fibers in endometrium and myometrium in women with hormonally treated and untreated endometriosis were determined immunohistochemically.


RESULTS
The nerve fiber density (mean density +/- SD per square millimeter) in the functional and the basal layers of endometrium (0.2 +/- 0.7/mm(2) and 0.9 +/- 1.3/mm(2), respectively) and myometrium (1.5 +/- 0.8/mm(2)) from women with hormonally treated endometriosis was much lower than that of endometrium (functional layer: 11 +/- 5/mm(2), basal layer: 18 +/- 8/mm(2), respectively) and myometrium (3 +/- 1/mm(2)) from women with untreated endometriosis. Nerve growth factor and nerve growth factor receptor p75 expression was also significantly reduced in women with hormonally treated endometriosis compared with women with untreated endometriosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Hormonal treatment significantly reduced nerve fiber density in endometrium and myometrium in women with endometriosis.
Tokushige
Natsuko
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth II Research Institute for Mothers and Infants, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. ntokushige@med.usyd.edu.au
Markham
Robert
R
Russell
Peter
P
Fraser
Ian S
IS
D000328:Adult; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004107:Dilatation and Curettage; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; C484065:NGFR protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor