Neuroendocrine cells in eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis.
BACKGROUND
Endometriosis is a common gynaecological disease, but the pathogenesis of endometriosis and pathophysiological basis for endometriosis-associated painful symptoms are still uncertain. Little is known about neuroendocrine (NE) cells in the uterus.


METHODS
For this study, 38 premenopausal women with histologically diagnosed ovarian endometrioma or peritoneal endometriosis and 24 women without endometriosis were selected. Biopsy samples from eutopic endometrium were used for immunohistochemical staining to detect synaptophysin (SYN) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) expression in women with and without endometriosis.


RESULTS
There were substantially more NE cells of eutopic endometrium stained with SYN and NSE in women with endometriosis than in those without endometriosis (3.8 +/- 1.8 versus 0.5 +/- 0.7/mm2, P < 0.001, and 2.8 +/- 2.1 versus 0.4 +/- 0.6/mm2, respectively, P < 0.001). These cells were scattered in the epithelium of endometrial glands. At all stages of the menstrual cycle, the densities of NE cells stained with SYN and NSE were greater in women with endometriosis than in those without endometriosis (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that NE cells in eutopic endometrium probably play some role in the pathogenesis or symptoms of endometriosis.
Wang
Guoyun
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. wangguoy@sdu.edu.cn
Tokushige
Natsuko
N
Russell
Peter
P
Dubinovsky
Sylvia
S
Markham
Robert
R
Fraser
Ian S
IS
D004715:Endometriosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D055099:Neuroendocrine Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism
D016708:Synaptophysin; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase