title: Expression of ghrelin and its receptors in ovarian endometrioma.
abstract: Endometriosis is a common gynaecological disorder manifesting by implantation and growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The evidence accumulates that endometriosis may be associated with abrogated regulation of energy balance. Ghrelin is one of the most important orexigenic factor which may also play a role in regulation of inflammatory and angiogenic reactions. The present study was aimed at investigating expression profile of ghrelin and its receptors (GHSR1α and GHSR1β) in endometriotic lesions. The study included ovarian cysts and peritoneal fluid specimens obtained laparoscopically from 20 women with revised American Fertility Society stage III or IV endometriosis. Expression of specific mRNAs was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Expression of ghrelin and GHSR1α protein was studied by immunohistochemical staining with specific antibodies. Ghrelin and its receptors mRNA expression was found in all tested specimens. Specific mRNAs for these factors were also expressed in the peritoneal leukocytes. Immunohistochemical staining revealed expression of ghrelin and GHSR1α both in glandular endometrioid epithelium and in some stromal cells, particularly in some fibroblasts, blood vessels and infiltrating leukocytes. Co-localization of ghrelin and its receptors strongly suggests that this neuropeptide may affect development and growth of endometriotic lesions and may influence local inflammatory and angiogenic response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Centre of Biostructure Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milewski
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wójtowicz
authors.forename: Piotr I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Roszkowski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barcz
authors.forename: Bogna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ziarkiewicz-Wróblewska
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamiński
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malejczyk
mesh_terms: D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010049:Ovarian Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000378:metabolism; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin