title: Altered expression of activin, cripto, and follistatin in the endometrium of women with endometrioma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression pattern of activin A, activin receptors, and activin modulators messenger RNA (mRNA) in the eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis at different phases of the menstrual cycle and to evaluate the mRNA expression of the same proteins in endometriomas during the menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with and without endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of endometrial and endometriotic tissue from women with endometrioma (n=48), and endometrial samples from women without endometriosis (controls) (n=48).
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantification of activin A, activin B, activin receptor II, nodal, cripto, inhibin α, and follistatin expression by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis showed [1] higher activin A mRNA expression in the proliferative phase and a lack of late secretory phase peak, [2] a lack of endometrial cycle-related variations of cripto and inhibin α mRNA expression, and [3] an inverse expression pattern of follistatin mRNA. Endometriomas showed similar variations in the expression of activin-related protein mRNA during the menstrual cycle as eutopic endometrium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disturbed expression of endometrial activin A, cripto (activin receptor antagonist), and follistatin (activin-binding protein) suggests a dysfunction of the activin pathway in endometriosis. Endometriomas showed similar changes of activin-related proteins during the menstrual cycle, which supports a common biology for eutopic and ectopic endometrium in endometriosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Ana Luiza L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrarelli
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novembri
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sabbioni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luisi
authors.forename: Fernando M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petraglia
mesh_terms: D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II / Q000235:genetics; D028341:Activins / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D038681:Follistatin / Q000235:genetics*; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000235:genetics; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C503233:FST protein, human; D038681:Follistatin; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C070636:TDGF1 protein, human; C422405:activin A; C044147:activin B; C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II