title: Involvement of estrogen receptor-related receptors in human ovarian endometriosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether decreased estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) expression in endometriotic lesions could be balanced by an increased expression of estrogen receptor-related receptors (ERRs). To evaluate whether ERR-α expression is influenced by hormonal change in fertile and menopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital, Department of Gynecology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five women: 20 women of reproductive age with (n = 10) and without (control; n = 10) endometriosis and 5 menopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ER and ERR expression levels were studied by reverse transcriptase-qPCR, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry using endometriotic and normal endometrial tissues. The ERR-α protein distribution was performed by immunohistochemistry in fertile and menopausal women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased levels of ER-β were associated with ER-α, ERR-α, and ERR-γ reductions in ectopic tissue but not in eutopic and normal endometria. Similar levels of ERR-β were found in women with and without endometriosis. The ERR-α expression was similar in proliferative and secretory endometrial samples, whereas a down-regulation of this receptor was found in atrophic tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm the up-regulation of ER-β as the principal receptor involved in the progression of human endometriosis. In addition, we found that ERR-α seems to be unresponsive to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, I.R.C.C.S. Saverio de Bellis, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy. cavaldo@libero.it
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavallini
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Resta
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Caringella
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dinaro
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lippolis
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loverro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta