[Expression and significance of ET-1 and its receptors in endometriosis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptors (ET(A)R, ET(B)R) in patients with endometriosis and to explore the possible role of them in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.


METHODS
The tissues of ectopic and eutopic endometrium were collected from 48 cases of endometriosis (EM), while the control samples were eutopic endometrium from 13 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The expressions and locations of ET-1, ET(A)R, ET(B)R were measured by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
The expression levels of ET-1 and ET(A)R of EMs group, either in eutopic or in ectopic endometrium, were higher than those of the control group (All P<0.01). Moreover, the expression levels of ET-1 and ETAR in eutopic endometrium were higher than those in ectopic endometrium. There were significant correlations between the expression of ET-1 and ETAR in EMs group, either for eutopic or for ectopic endometrium (r=0.970, 0.968 respectively, All P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression level of ET(B)R among eutopic endometrium of EMs, ectopic endometrium of Ems and eutopic endometrium of control group (All P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression level of ET-1, ET(A)R and ET(B)R in proliferative phase and secretory phase in both EMs group and control group (All P>0.05). The expression levels of ET-1, ET(A)R and ET(B)R were not associated with r-AFS staging of endometriosis (All P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
By the way of combining ET(A)R, ET-1 may play a important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Chen
Zhi-gang
ZG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Wang
Hong-jing
HJ
Zhou
Yu
Y
Yang
Qin
Q
Yu
Xue
X
D000328:Adult; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A / Q000378:metabolism*
D019332:Endothelin-1; D044022:Receptor, Endothelin A