Evaluation of estrogen treatment in an immunodeficient mouse endometriosis model.
OBJECTIVE
Endometriosis is known to be an estrogen-dependent disease. However, only a few studies have analyzed the effect of estrogen treatment in mice xenotransplanted with human endometrium. The objective of this study was to adapt a previously developed heterologous murine model to the study of estrogens and test the impact of estrone treatment on endometriosis development.


METHODS
Human proliferative endometrium was xenotransplanted into the peritoneal cavity of castrated immunodeficient mice. These mice were treated with estrogens by means of subcutaneous estrone-releasing pellets. The effect of estrone on estradiol level, uterine histology and endometriosis development was evaluated after 21 days.


RESULTS
Bioactivity of estrone pellets and their metabolization into estradiol were demonstrated. However, there was no impact on endometriosis development (no difference in lesion number, weight, size or fluorescence). This lack of response was not due to absence of estrogen receptor expression, since strong expression was found in all lesions harvested. Surprisingly, castrated nontreated mice presented with lesions showing high proliferative activity, similar to lesions found in treated mice (around 30%).


CONCLUSIONS
The high proliferation observed in lesions recovered from ovariectomized nontreated mice questions the utility of using estrogens in heterologous murine models.
Colette
Sébastien
S
Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Defrère
Sylvie
S
Lousse
Jean-Christophe
JC
Van Langendonckt
Anne
A
Loumaye
Ernest
E
Donnez
Jacques
J
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000637:transplantation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010052:Ovariectomy; D013388:Succinimides
C087165:5-(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013388:Succinimides; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol