title: Expression of angiopoietins 1, 2 and their common receptor tie-2 in relation to the size of endothelial lining gaps and expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors in idiopathic menorrhagia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether idiopathic menorrhagia (IM) is associated with alterations of the vascular expression of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, and tie-2 receptor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital, Department of Gynecology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients with IM and 18 women with eumenorrhea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometrial samples underwent immunohistochemical staining for CD34, angiopoetin-1, angiopoietin-2, tie-2, and smooth muscle actin-alpha. Previously published data on gap size and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor family members were used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differences in immunostaining for these markers by computer-assisted stereological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significantly more angiopoetin-1 positive vessels in IM in the secretory phase, but not of angiopoetin-2 and tie-2, compared with controls. Densities of angiopoetin-1 positive vessels correlated significantly to those of angiopoetin-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3. Smooth muscle actin-alpha positive pericytes covered the gaps. Double staining for CD34 and tie-2 receptor was partly identical, but gaps were covered by tie-2 stain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discrete deregulation observed of the angiopoetin-1 expression before menstruation might affect vascular integrity, thereby contributing to the excessive blood loss in IM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden. miriam.mints@telia.com
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mints
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palmblad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008598:Menstruation / Q000378:metabolism; D020286:Pericytes / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C467630:ANGPT1 protein, human; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D015415:Biomarkers; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D040321:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3