VIP expression in vessels of the vaginal wall: relationship with estrogen status.
OBJECTIVE
Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuropeptide with elevated expression in regions that control urogenital functions. Estrogen appears to modulate VIP expression in various organs, but this effect has not been demonstrated in the vaginal wall. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of estrogen status on VIP expression in vessels of the vaginal wall.


METHODS
Surgical specimens were removed from the vaginal walls of 18 premenopausal women and 12 postmenopausal women who were given surgery for genital prolapse grade I or II. Vaginal specimens were stained with estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-α) and VIP antibodies. Levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, prolactin, fasting glucose and serum thyroxine stimulating hormone were also measured. Estrogen status was assessed on the basis of FSH and ER-α scores.


RESULTS
The vaginal walls of premenopausal women had significantly higher ER-α scores than those of menopausal women (premenopausal group, 3.6 ± 2.2; menopausal group, 1.4 ± 1.8; p = 0.01). Premenopausal women also had significantly higher levels of VIP in the vaginal wall than menopausal women (p = 0.02). Increasing age was associated with lower level of VIP staining (odds ratio 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.99).


CONCLUSIONS
Levels of ER-α and VIP expression in the posterior vaginal wall were higher in premenopausal than in menopausal women, but VIP expression was not associated with estrogen status. Age was an independent predictor of VIP staining in vaginal wall biopsies.
Sexual Medicine Service of Human Reproduction Sector, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo University, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
L A S
LA
Lara
C S
CS
Vieria
A
A
Ribeiro-Silva
J C
JC
Rosa-e-Silva
M F
MF
Silva-de-Sá
P S
PS
Magnani
A C J S
AC
Rosa-e-Silva
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014621:Vagina / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin